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Comment by Lerc | Hacker News Reader

If they are the pranksters, I wonder what that makes the Kea. I think they are counted as smarter, they definitely enjoy a bit of malicious fun.

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The most accurate representation of "Chaotic Neutral" - the cheeky bastards love stealing ANYTHING, and when there's nothing to steal they'll start ripping the rubber off your car door seals (or windshield wipers).

They are amazing birds, very deserving of the name "Clown of the Mountains".

I'll never understand why we New Zealanders chose a flightless defenseless bird as our national bird when we have so many other great candidates.

I am now obliged to mention bird of the year pūteketeke!

Thank you, John Oliver.

Kiwis are very unique and distinctive looking, so it makes sense to an outsider like me. Keas are cool but they kind of just look like parrots.

Not so defenseless

I liked the Kea messing with traffic cones and redirecting traffic, apparently slowing cars and getting fed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ4Y7svFgnQ

Weka can be a lot of fun too, I saw a pack of them opening someone's backpack zipper to find out what's inside.

I was hiking and had a Kea flapping its wings on the ground to get our attention while his friend was going through our backpacks.

Ah, team work.

I saw a seagull sneak up to and scream at a guy to make him drop his fish and chips and all his seagull buddies swooped in and took it.

Seagulls, magpie and ibis (im not being fun or joking here) have evolved to exhibit cooperative traits and behaviours to get food, including tricking, diverting, cooperating and most annoying literally staunching people.

I was having a burrito on manly wharf a long while back, a seagull just lands on the table and death stares me...i felt uncomfortable and moved, because i know they will try and take my food off me!

I haven't ever seen Brisbane's beloved bin chickens (ibis) cooperating, but they're pretty good at getting into any bin to scavenge food.

Cockatoos are worse and will flip the lid of a wheelie bin if in the mood. Crows will as well if you overfill and the lid is not shut properly.

I saw an ibis and magpie work on opening a macdonalds bin, take out the black rubbish bag, tear it, splay its contents and fish for paper macdonalds bags!

I looked up the bird..

They are smart!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W7hEUGtv4U

Local legend has it Kea work it groups. Team work

One group will entertain the tourists (in mountain huts in the back country) by putting on ammusing displays of acrobatics and hijinks

The other team use razor sharp claws and beaks to open thir packs and get to all the interesting stuff inside

Keas are gremlins but real.

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