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<P>Keas (the New Zealand Alpine parrot) are another species who have no qualms using human technology for their own gain. Smartest, bravest, most mischieveous birds I've ever seen. Also the most playful. They really play for playing's sake and will use anything at their disposal as a toy. Also completely fearless of humans. And with good reason. </P>
<P>I spent a good bit of time hiking in Fiordland on the South Island, which is their habitat and got to see them in action. My favorite moment was watching two of them work like a pair of Roman juvenile pickpockets. One did a funny dance in front of a hiker, who was seated next to her backpack, eating lunch. They succeeded in distracting her from guarding her backpack, which she had been warned to do. The thief-Kea dashed into the backpack, grabbed her wrapped sandwich and flew away. When the dancer knew the sandwich was safely theirs, he flew away with the thief. Excellent entertainment on the trail! My husband watched a group of keas try to dismantle the rubber gaskets around a car windshield. They got a good sized piece of rubber ripped off and played tug of war with it. But it wasn't for ownership. When they were done playing, they thoughtfully left it on the hood of the car...</P>
<P>Some of the huts on the trails take bits left behind by backpackers (like ruined hiking boots or laces or equipment) and string it up on a line as a 'jungle gym' for the keas. Unbelievable to watch them play and make wacky, creative use of all this stuff...</P>
<P>Here's a sample observation from <A href="http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FRO/is_2_132/ai_54152683">http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FRO/is_2_132/ai_54152683</A>:</P>
<P>"Sometimes they display an almost humanlike ability to avoid culpability. Schulenburg likes to tell the story of Lucy, a particularly clever kea who lived for years at the San Diego Zoo. "She figured out how to break open the lock to her cage. One night she got loose and entered the keeper's quarters and the kitchen. She ate everything edible, totally destroyed a down sleeping bag, and carried coffee mugs to the edge of the counter and dropped them to the floor, reducing the mugs to a pile of pottery shards. Another night she escaped and methodically opened 20 other cages containing dozens of other species of birds that were part of special breeding programs. In the morning, when we came to work, we couldn't believe our eyes. Most of the birds were gleefully zooming around in areas that had been taboo. Lucy played it innocent. She and her mate had gone back to their cage and shut the door behind them, but the telltale broken lock gave away who was behind the breakout."</P>
<P>[snip]</P>
<P>"Since 1986 keas have enjoyed the full protection of the New Zealand government, although the sheep-kea conflict promises to present itself anew now that TV New Zealand's Kea, Mountain Parrot video has documented firsthand accounts of the parrots' descending on sheep in the pitch-dark of night. They'd walk among a herd of sheep and one would eventually hop onto a sheep's hindquarters and slowly dig through the fleece, stopping to look about from time to time. Eventually the kea would work its way to the sheep's flesh and dig into the fatty areas around the kidneys. Often the sheep died outright or a fatal infection set in."</P>
<P>"Still, the number of sheep lost each year is relatively small and often localized. "This appears to be learned behavior," comments Elliot. "In some places with both keas and sheep, there are no attacks. In other places, there are."</P>
<P>[snip]</P>
<P>"The obvious question is, Why is this parrot species so smart? Olsen hazards a theory: "The kea represents a link with the ancient evolutionary past and is an omnivorous parrot--not a specialized feeder as is the case with most parrots living today. Its brain is a distinguishing attribute that gives it the edge in a harsh world."</P>
<P>"Elliot concurs: "The kea is a generalist with a good brain that allow it flexibility. The beak is not especially well suited for cracking nuts. It's more of a general-use tool for probing, digging, and experimentation."</P>
<P>There are even stories of injured hikers being stalked by groups of Keas like they were just a big sheep... Glad it wasn't me!</P>
<P>PJ</P>
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<TD>Ravens are interesting birds, though I've only ever seen one face to face once and it was merely glancing around the airport car park at the time. But another invention of theirs I've read about is landing on top of street lights and covering the photocell with their wings; the light comes on, generating enough heat to keep the bird warm on a winter's day. Probably again one bird discovered it by accident and remembered the trick, and others saw and copied.<BR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR>
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<TD>Ravens are interesting birds, though I've only ever seen one face to face once and it was merely glancing around the airport car park at the time. But another invention of theirs I've read about is landing on top of street lights and covering the photocell with their wings; the light comes on, generating enough heat to keep the bird warm on a winter's day. Probably again one bird discovered it by accident and remembered the trick, and others saw and copied.<BR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></BODY>