Parrot Nation

Kim Klosterman Hanging the Kea toy in the indoor enclosure

Last week I sent a big toy to my friends the Keas at the Cincinnati Zoo. The staff had a pretty good time watching them beat the living hell out of the thing. The Zoo has some Keas in an outdoor enclosure for up close and personal interaction with the public. I suspect the Zoo Guests who decide to visit these little marauders have no idea how wild they can get with their curiosity and destructive ways. The Staff originally put the toy outside:

The Kea Army Heading For the Staff

A  Little music and video to go with the “Kea Invasion”:

Oooooh! Shoes!

“What are these things?”

Kim Tying the toy  up outside

But the Keas that are outside have a lot going on out there with people walking by and so much to see; like shoes and boots. They displayed little interest in the toy, so they moved in indoors for Stella & Jacques who took to it like the little marauders they are:

The Little Hoodlums Developing an Interest in the Monster Toy

Hmmmm….

Okay, here we go! Stella and Jacques prepare for destruction!

Steve reported that they mashed on it for about an hour and had a wonderful time. There were pieces and parts lying all over the floor of the enclosure:

Mass Destruction…I Love It!

Doesn’t He Look Proud!

So apparently, the Kea toy was a raging success. Most of it was made from pieces of cardboard, popsicle sticks, clothes pins, shower curtain rings, paper cups, whiffle balls, plastic Easter eggs, pieces of leather, cheap baskets, old broken toy parts from Parker and Pepper’s toys, dollar store junk and paper plates and strung on plastic laundry rope.  It has inspired me to begin thinking about making  a bunch of toys for the other birds at the Cincinnati Zoo when I get back  there in September. I told Steve to begin saving trash pieces for me, and I can forage the Zoo for tree branches and trash and other found stuff. All I need is some plastic rope and my imagination. And maybe a few car parts.