Material preferences in kea (Nestor notabilis)

Abstract

New Zealand's kea parrot (Nestor notabilis) is a highly neophilic species that is attracted to human settlements and structures. These environments pose several risks to this endangered species, but also pose a management challenge in how to best ensure that a neophilic species is kept away from the allure of ever-changing human environments. One possible mitigation strategy is the implementation of “kea jungle gyms” to provide kea with a potentially safer alternative to novelty, but little is known about how to design these structures to their fullest potential. In this study, we presented kea with samples of various materials to determine both what materials and their properties kea prefer to interact with, and which materials kea are least likely to engage with. We found that kea spent longer interacting with wood and some polymer plastics, and the least time interacting with hard metals, such as steel and stainless steel. These findings are discussed in the context of generating safe and effective management strategies that can be implemented for wild kea populations in the future, particularly with regard to appropriate designs of jungle gyms to encourage kea away from human settlements.