Spent 2 sleepless nights at French Ridge hut (across the valley from Cascade Saddle) with the first night consisting of them chewing up the deck of the hut and dropping stones on the roof, then the 2nd night them taking turns to fly onto the roof and slide down the sides scraping their claws on the tin the whole way down and nonstop cackling. Going outside to shoo them achieved nothing... they'd fly a couple of metres just out of reach and then land and squawk at you.
These are probably the same kea as Cascade Saddle get. I wouldn't recommend camping up there no matter how pretty it looks. Aspiring hut to Dart hut takes about 10 hours... I'd recommend not hanging around :)
Yeah the little darlings make a mess of tin roofs and flashings too.Barker Hut high up in APNP is a classic example.
Those beaks and claws can sure cause some damage (and noise).
a cyclist stopped to have a quick look around at homer pass, came back to his bike seat which had been completely chewed off... an aperitif...
They're amazingly intellegent. Put the Inreach out to send a message ... they tried to steal it. Put an inverted plastic wash basin over it. They lifted the basin & tried to steal the inreach. Put stones on the basin. They picked the stones off ... Used tent pegs to pin the basin down ... Ha: that flummoxed them!
Bet they watched you take the pegs out and thought I hope he tries that again.
While we are talking keas why is it that Porters and Hut ski field have them in abundance but Roundhill doesnt seem to.
Its Porters where they were trying to steal tourists lunches and dissecting running shoes. They even had a go at my sandwiches while I was holding them
Keas hate being squirted with water. Everything else is a big joke to them and as far as they're concerned you're just a part of the game. But a squirt of water and they're off. They don't see the funny side of that at all. Once of those plastic drinking bottles like Pump should do the trick.
I discovered this by accident when we were camped on Williams Saddle one evening. It is best to absolutely ignore these birds if you can. Frank and I were doing some track work near the Hurunui hot pools one day and 2 or 3 keas came over and screeched and squawked at us for about 10 minutes. They really gave us a bollocking but we totally ignored them so eventually they flew off.
Geeves you're right there.My son and I were having lunch in Arthurs after a day trip up Otira valley 2 weeks ago and the keas were having a go at my pump bottle while I was still holding it.
The obligatory campervan of Asian tourists got a good photo opportunity though!
