Rare kea chicks reared at Paradise Park in Hayle

Kea parrots are a close relative of the flightless green Kakapo parrot

Three rare kea chicks are being hand-raised by staff at a west Cornwall attraction.

The kea is classified as a "vulnerable" species mainly due to mammals which are able to get into its nests to steal eggs and young.

The hand-reared chicks will be moved on later to other bird collections throughout Europe.

Kea parrots are a close relative of the flightless green Kakapo parrot from New Zealand.

Nick Reynolds from Paradise Park said: "We decided to hand-rear these chicks due to the parents having been unsuccessful at rearing their own chicks in the past.

"They are from a new bloodline, so we will be able to place them with the chicks we had last year to create new pairs in future years."

The kea breed is famous for being curious and highly intelligent. In the wild it nests in burrows or crevices in trees.