New research shows that an additive that makes 1080 shiny to kea, might be the tool needed to teach the curious alpine parrots to avoid the lethal pellets.
The controversial poison is used widely to control pests on conservation land, but it also kills non-targeted animals and birds - including, sometimes, the endangered kea.
Zoologist Amy Brunton-Martin says the research was backed by Department of Conservation subsidiary, Zero Invasive Predators, or ZIP, based on her work with seabirds.
She told RNZ reporter Tracy Neal about how kea might learn to avoid the bait, just by looking at it.
