If you start finding traffic cones in the middle of the road, you might be forgiven for thinking a local gang of youths were behind it.

But workers in New Zealand were given a shock after discovering that a mischievous group of kea birds had been dragging them there instead.

Even more bizarrely, the workers now think the keas were listening out for cars and then positioning the cones to get them to stop in the hopes of getting fed.

Road workers in New Zealand investigating traffic cones that were left in the middle of a busy tourist road were shocked to find a group of kea birds dragging them there

Keas, a parrot-like bird that lives in Alpine regions of New Zealand's South Island, are known for being particularly intelligent.

The road featured in the video is a popular tourist route for day trips to the Milford Sound, with regular stops along the way for visitors to take pictures.

Kevin Thompson, road alliance manager for Milford, told Newshub that the keas have worked out that stopped vehicles typically means people with food.

Workers think the birds, which are highly intelligent, were trying to stop traffic in the hopes that tourists would get out and feed them

Heavier traffic cones are now being considered in order to stop the birds, in case the birds end up causing an accident

The film was taken at one end of a one-way tunnel, where the flow of traffic alternates between either end, meaning it stops for a few minutes at a time as it changes over.

Mr Thompson said: 'We think the Kea listen for the cars in the tunnel and move the road cones between the streams of traffic.'

When the cars emerge from the tunnel, the birds are hoping they will be forced to stop, and may hand out some food while they're there.