Kea: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Five facts

1. Kea can crack logic puzzles, such as moving parts in the right order to reach a treat. They can also team up to get a job done.
2. A kea named Bruce has a broken upper beak. He wedges pebbles between his tongue and lower beak to help him preen.
3. In tests, kea held out for as long as 160 seconds to get a treat they liked more. Primates make choices in a similar way.
4. Called the clown of the mountains, the kea investigates backpacks, skis and even cars. One was reported to take a tourist's passport.
5. Kea nest high in the mountains, from 1,600 m up. Few parrots in the world spend so much time above the line where trees stop growing.

The quiz

1. What do kea do to solve puzzles and reach food?

• Push and pull things in a certain order (correct)
• Dig tunnels underground
• Wait until dark
• Call other birds to open them

They can move parts in the right order to reach a treat.

2. What did Bruce the kea wedge between his tongue and lower beak?

• Seeds
• Twigs
• Pebbles (correct)
• Feathers

He wedged pebbles there to aid his preening.

3. How long can a kea wait for a better reward?

• 10 seconds
• 30 seconds
• 160 seconds (correct)
• 10 minutes

In tests, kea held out for as long as 160 seconds for a treat they liked more.

4. What nickname is the kea given?

• The thief of the valley
• The clown of the mountains (correct)
• The king of the snow
• The mimic of the forest

It is called the clown of the mountains.

5. Where do kea regularly spend time, unlike most parrots?

• On tropical beaches
• Underground in burrows only
• Above the tree line (correct)
• On open grassland at sea level

Few parrots in the world spend so much time above the tree line.

More about the Kea

All lessons

Nature documentaries