Nelson The Ugly Parrot Is Kind Of Adorable

Native to New Zealand, Kea are a breed of parrot that are known for their intelligence, curiosity, large size, and olive-green color; they’re also known for their ugly chicks. Once hunted because of their negative effect on livestock and now vulnerable for extinction, the kea is the subject of various conservation efforts, including zoos taking care of abandoned chicks like Nelson. Born at the Bergzoo in Germany, Nelson was quickly abandoned by his parents and left to die. However, officials at the zoo have taken it upon themselves to raise the young parrot who they describe as “a cross between an alien and a roast chicken”. Nelson is very strange looking at this stage in his life, and even seems to find his mirror image a bit weird, but he will someday find himself looking in the mirror at a handsome and majestic bird. For now though, Nelson will have to keep on being ugly…adorably ugly.