WAYS OF THE WILD.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 242, 12 October 1929, Page 1 (Supplement)

WAYS OF THE WILD.

A NATURALIST'S NOTEBOOK THE BLUE HERON. (By A. T. PYCROFT.) Mr. W. Chilcott, of Portland Road, Remuera, informs me that on the first of October his attention was drawn to a bird which, was eating young mussels from the stringers of the Devonport wharf. The master of the ferry boat told Mr. Chilcott that the bird was a blue crane, which has visited the wharf at low water daily for several years. It is eaid to be always alone. Mr. Chilcott wishes to know something about the bird and if it is indigenous, that is, belonging to this country. The bird eeen by Mr. Chilcott was a blue heron, frequently miscalled a crane. The cranes belong to another family, the heron's family name being Ardea. The name heron is of old English origin. The common European heron, remarkable for its direct ascending ilight, was formerly hunted with the larger falcons. The flight of the blue heron, however, appears laboured, although the flight is moderately fast. The regular slow flapping of _ the wing 3 ie noticeable. The long neck is not Been during flight, being doubled in, and the long legs are trailed behind. The bird's former scientific name Ardea Sacra, Sacred Heron, has recently been changed to Demigretta Sacra. It is probable that the bird eeen by Mr. Chilcatt was feeding on small crabe, which are sometimes plentiful on piles and stringers where there is marine growth.

An Eirpert Fisher. The blue heron is an expert fisher. It is interesting to watch the graceful movements of this bird as it stalks along the shore, with the head drawn in, eornetimes standing motionless in shallow water watching a school of small fish, care being taken by the bird that its shadow, is not east on the water iu the direction of the approaching fish. A sudden out-stretching of the neck and a fish is seen held between the long sharp bill. If held across the bill the fish is thrown into the air, caught head on, and quickly swallowed. Although generallyreferred to as the blue heron the general plumage ie elatey grey, darker on the upper parts and tinged on the lower parts with brown. A broad line of white is noticeable down the middle of the throat. The back is ornamented with a number of narrow feathers, tapering to a point, of a bluish grey colour. The legs and toes arc greenish-yellow, and the bill dark yellow. The total length of the bird is 25 inches. Breeding Places. I know of ecveral breeding places where the birds resort to every year if not molested. It is not uncommon to see a pair, as nesting time draws near, systematically working a bay or estuary for food, as soon as tide conditions are favourable. Close observation throughout the year will, I think, ehow that about the end of this month the bird seen by Mr. Chilcott will disappear to frequent one of the nesting places where it and its mate will make a large, rough nest of grass and twigs, at the foot of pohutukawas, or amongst rocks, some distance above sea level.' Then as many as three eggs may be deposited, the colouring varying from light blue to green-ish-blue with a. finely granulated surface without; any glass. The late Captain Mair -records having seen on Whale Island as many ae thirty birds; a number of their nests were found in a cave, the nests being placed on the projecting ledges of rock. The young, that were fully fledged, were a bright blue in colour, with bright yellow legs. It was amusing to watch them when disturbed fly into" the high trees perching amongst some shags and looking very gawky, then presently the shag?, with loud gutteral voices, sallied forth, chasing them far and wide.

Present Tameness Result of Protection. The fact that the blue heron at Devonpor't has frequented the wharf for several years is a tribute to the wisdom of protection of this and many of our native birds. The fact that many newspapers throughout the Empire now have a regular natural history column is an indication of a desire for this knowledge. I have noticed that the keenest observers are to be found amongst those who have received nature study teaching in our schools and those whose work brings them in contact with Nature. For several years during the formation of the railway across Hobson Bay a blue heron was frequently seen near the formation work. It was of great interest to many of the men working there, who saw that the bird was not molested. The blue heron is one of our resident native birds, but it is not endemic, that is, peculiar to this country, being found throughout the Polynesian Archipelago. Its range also extends to India and Japan. Three Species of Kiwi. A former correspondent, "JRiroriro," wishes to know the scientific name of the North Island kiwi. In the Zoo it ie labelled Apteryx. Mantelli, but is referred to as A. Bulleri by Sir W. Buller in his second edition of "The Birds of Zealand." It is referred to by later authors as A. Australia. As a result of reclassification of the kiwis the North Island kiwi now bears the eame name as the South Island brown kiwi, viz., Apteryx Australia. Both these birds are now considered to be identical, and the name originally bestowed by Shaw and N. Nodder in LSI 3 is retained. The South Island also possesses two other species of Apteryx. The small grey kiwi, A. Oweui, and "the large grey kiwi, A. Haasti.

The Kookaburras. "Riroriro" also wishes to know if the announcement over wireless from IYA, that the kookaburra (Dacelo Gigas), or great brown kingfisher of Australia, is to be found on Kuwait Island. I have no knowledge that this bird is to be foundthere, or elsewhere in New Zealand. It is probable that the Australian magpie, which has been acclimatised in North Auckland for over forty years, visits Kawau Island, and has been mistaken for the laughing jackass by someone not familiar with these birds.