http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/parrot-steals-1100-from-unsuspecting-tourist-20130204-2dtc2.html

Parrot steals $1100 from unsuspecting tourist

Date February 4, 2013

Megan Miller

A kea in action … the large New Zealand parrots are notorious for their cheeky and destructive behaviour.

A kea in action … the large New Zealand parrots are notorious for their cheeky and destructive behaviour. Photo: Getty Images

A thief stole hundreds of dollars from Peter Leach’s campervan, but left no fingerprints – because the thief has no fingers.

Mr Leach, a visitor from Glasgow, Scotland, stopped at Arthur’s Pass on Wednesday to take in the views at a rest area along State Highway 73.

He left the windows down as he snapped photos of the scenery, including one of an unusual bird on the ground near his vehicle. Little did he know he’d become a target for the local criminal element.
Robbed by a cheeky bird … Peter Leach of Glasgow.

Robbed by a cheeky bird … Peter Leach of Glasgow. Photo: Megan Miller/Timaru Herald

“A Canadian couple walked by and said: ‘We’ve just seen that bird take something out of your campervan’,” Mr Leach laughed.
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“It took all the money I had. I was left with $40 in my pocket.”

The unsuspecting tourist had stashed his travel cash – about $NZ1300 (about $A1100) – in a small cloth drawstring bag and left it on the dashboard, where the bird apparently found it while rummaging through other items.

The kea grabbed the bag and made a clean aerial getaway.

Fortunately, Mr Leach had old friends nearby, Paul and Lyn Fisher of Normanby, who lent him cash to tide him over.

Hoping to recover his money through travel insurance, Mr Leach sheepishly reported the incident to Timaru police.

“The man I dealt with was very serious for the first few questions,” Mr Leach said.

“Then he said, ‘Do you mind if I just stop to laugh?’ “

Mr Leach said he had never heard of the mischievous kea before his visit.

Lesson learned.

“The birds are now lining their nests with £50 notes.”

Keas are known for being highly intelligent and strong, but also highly mischievous, with a reputation for opening rubbish bins, damaging furniture and vandalising cars.

- Fairfax NZ News/stuff.co.nz

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/parrot-steals-1100-from-unsuspecting-tourist-20130204-2dtc2.html#ixzz2Pa3xlrb7

Keas do that stuff. Yes they do. Pretty birds, though.

Keas are curious and inquisitive and well known for apparently destructive behaviours; I’ve seen kea try to remove items such as wallets from pockets of pants or bags. But people also have to be careful and viligilant about how they secure vehicles, leave outdoor gear about and dispose of their rubbish. A kea was fatally poisoned by theobromine at Mt Cook Village after it had removed and consumed chocolate from a bin. The bins have been modified to lock in place and be kea-proof. People are requested not to feed the birds junk food and scraps like chips and chocolate, but they still do, and this only makes matters worse (poor diet, encourages begging and ransacking).

There is currently a program underway to remove lead nails and flashing from backcountry hut roofs since a toxicological survey of blood lead has found very high levels and both behavioural and physiological signs of lead poisoning in the birds.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20688646

Evidence of lead exposure in a free-ranging population of Kea (Nestor notabilis).
McLelland JM, Reid C, McInnes K, Roe WD, Gartrell BD.
Source

New Zealand Wildlife Health Centre, Institute of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11,222, Palmerston North 4474, New Zealand. jen_mclelland@hotmail.com
Abstract

Kea (Nestor notabilis) are high country parrots endemic to New Zealand. The foraging behavior and inquisitive nature of Kea have led to incidences of foreign substance ingestion, including lead. Between April 2006 and November 2007, 38 Kea in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand, were captured, and blood was sampled for blood lead analysis. All birds sampled had detectable blood lead with concentrations ranging from 0.028 mg/l to 3.43 mg/l (mean+/-SE, 0.428+/-0.581 mg/l). A retrospective analysis of necropsy reports and archived samples from 15 wild Kea from various South Island locations also was carried out. Seven of these birds (five from the Aoraki/Mount Cook area) died with clinical signs consistent with lead toxicosis and had liver and/or kidney lead levels reported to cause lead toxicity in other avian species. All seven of these birds also had lead inclusions (Ziehl-Neelson positive intranuclear inclusion bodies) in the renal tubular epithelial cells. These are considered diagnostic of lead toxicity in other species. This study showed that lead exposure is ubiquitous in the sampled population and may be an important contributing factor in Kea morbidity and mortality. As a result of these findings, lead abatement in areas frequented by Kea is being initiated.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/5194656/Nail-removal-helps-kea-survive

as to why anyone has a grand in cash stuffed in a little baggie sitting on their dash in an unlocked, open car stopped in known car-theft areas, I dunno…