Complex kea surprise experts

Kea have long been known for being equal parts lovable and obnoxious, but recent research shows their inner workings are more complex than previously thought.

The alpine parrot is notorious for its curiosity, reflected in its tendency to pester people, vandalise cars and steal from tourists.

But researchers studying kea have discovered an unexpected inner complexity, unlike any other bird species.

New research shows that kea, unlike any other known birds, have something similar to an infectious laugh.

They have a specific shriek which triggers them to play, a trait previously seen only in mammals.

When researchers played the shriek to wild kea, it prompted them to play with others.

Even when a kea was alone, the sound caused them to play by themselves, doing aerial acrobatics.

The findings were reported in Current Biology yesterday.

‘‘The fact that at least some of these birds started playing spontaneously when no other birds had been playing suggests that, similar to human laughter, it had an emotional effect on the birds that heard it, putting them in a playful state,’’ said researcher Raoul Schwing, of the Messerli Research Institute in Austria.

When kea heard the sound, they did not join already playing birds; they instead started playing with others that were not already playing.

Last month, research published in the PLOS One journal made another discovery about kea: They’re excellent at teamwork.

Kea at Christchurch’s Willowbank Wildlife Reserve passed a series of intelligence tests with flying colours, showing an ability to co-operate similar to chimpanzees and elephants.

In the experiment, two kea were separated on either side of a chicken wire fence.

The birds had to tug on a string in unison to drag a board with food towards them.

If only one string was pulled, the food would move out of reach. To get the food, they had to pull the string together.

The results showed the kea were willing to wait up to a minute for the other bird to arrive before pulling the string, even distracting themselves while waiting.

Researchers say better understanding of kea can help with their conservation.

Kea are undergoing a sharp population decline, due largely to human encroachment into their habitat.