'World's ugliest bird' begins to flourish - picture

A few weeks ago, we brought you Nelson, a baby Kea parrot who was branded the "ugliest bird in the world".

Now, a growth spurt is seeing him develop into an almost entirely different bird.



Nelson, initially described as "a cross between an alien and a roasted chicken", had been rejected by his parents at birth and was being cared for around the clock by zoo staff in Germany.

The best is yet to come, as an adult Kea parrot is said to have beautiful olive-green and orange feathers.

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See a picture of Nelson as a baby below: