New-York tribune., 1908-02-02
PARROT THAT KILLS SHEEP.
Facts at Last Obtained About the Fiercs
Kea of New Zealand.

The kea is = mountain parrot found only IN tbs
south island Of New ZeaIand. where II lives among
the peaks and valleys OF the Southern Alps. says
The Washington Post" When it was discovered.
in 1856 its chief food 70 be berries and ths
larvse of insects 1855 the report spread that
it was a meat eater and bird of prey Of no mean
order.
A few years later when sheep were brought into
the mountain valleys The Otago Times printed
d story that keas had been seen 10 descend tho
mountains. attack sheep in the pastures and XIII
and them There were similar reports IN latsr
years. bur they were generally discredited-
A while George Mariner. assistant in fhs
biological laboratory Of Canterbury college, vas
assigned the task OF collecting evidence and md
ing out the real facts His report is printed in ths
latest annual of the New Zealand Institute
He has proved that the kea actually lights on
the backs OF sheep and kills them lie quotes the
testimony os thirty-fve eyewitnessss who have
seen the occurrence and his map shows that in
stances Of the killing have been observed IN nearly
all parts Of the Southern ALPS.
all the witnesses are the owners Of sheep sta
tions. their managers shepherds their service
Mariner says that IN 1900 il denied in scieu-
tic papers that the kea killed sheep and the fact
satisfactorily proved before 1905.
Usually one birds DO the killing and ths
others share the spoil The testimony unanimous
that the kea does net attack sheep In poor coudi-
tion. but usually takes the pick OF the foek
The bird settles on the ground It's quarry.
h9gs aTGG1d Ss @ 5ie @ and b then & lights ] 9a the sleeps
begins tear cut the wool with powerful beal<
and at last gets It's beak into the flesh
The sheep vainly tries to snake its tOrnnenfOr of
and at last. frantic with pain and fright IL runs
blindly about at its highest speed DownhiIl il
usually rushes. needless OF rocks and pitfalls the
kea holding and balancing Itself with out
stretched wings.
When the beast stumbIes the relentless bird rises
on its wings and settles down again as the sheen
regainS its feet The race continues until the fran
tic animal. bruised by falls and matdened Win
pain. stunbles 10 rise more. and becomes an
easy prey to the kea-
Mr. Mariner says that in most OF the kea tnfest-
ed country the annual damage 70 the focks is
under per cent though at few stations the loss
has been as much as 10 per cent. some OF their
victims are almost untouched the time but ths.
birds return later and feed the bodies tin they
consumed
But the kea does not conhne itself to sheep. for
instances are recorded OF its attacks on horses
dogs and rabbits. One day two keas settled on the
back or a pack horse tethered at pasture and
began operations.
The horses lsaped and kicked. and finally dis
lodged the birds. All this took only two or three
minutes, but by the time help reached the hors.
IL was IN a heavy sweat. and blood tric kisny
| down it's ioins.
Thousands OF these parrots now being killed.
| and they probably doomed to the extinction
which the sheep herders would welcome n VIII
be long time, however before they wholly
obilterated for they live In rough country
and their nests are almost inaccsssibls>