Research shows kea have the ability to distinguish between two different-coloured 1080 baits but cannot detect the presence of bird repellent in baits of the same colour, findings which might have implications for future 1080 operations.
Highly intelligent, omnivorous and ready to explore anything novel in their environment, kea pose a unique conservation challenge for predator control programmes. Because they are so curious, they run the risk of becoming by-kill during baiting operations. Mitigating this risk to kea has been the focus of conservation research for a number of years.
In 2018 and 2019, researchers at the University of Auckland and Zero Invasive Predators (ZIP) demonstrated that the bird repellent anthraquinone, when applied to non-toxic cereal ‘aversion baits’, could be used to train kea to avoid baits during subsequent exposures—even when baits did not contain anthraquinone.
Unlike humans, many species of birds, including parrots, are able to perceive colours within the ultraviolet spectrum. Prior to this research, it was unknown whether anthraquinone, which is thought to reflect in the UV spectrum, is visible to kea. For learned aversion to work consistently, aversion baits must be visually identical to toxic baits.
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Image via University of Auckland.