THOUSANDS OF MUTTON BIRDS

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume L, Issue 7958, 10 April 1922, Page 3

THOUSANDS OF MUTTON BIRDS

With each succeeding day the. number of mutton birds in the Bluff Harbour seems to be increased by several thousands. Last week great portions of the harbour were almost black with them, and many wild guesses were made as to the approximate number (states the Southland Times), Allowing that there would be one bird to every four square feet of surface occupied, Hiis works out at 10,890 birds'to the acre, and as 50 acres appears to be a very moderate estimate of the total area thus occupied at one time an approximate estimate is 544,500 birds, irrespective of the many others which were coming and going continuously. The small fishes upon which they feed- are very numerous, and in tlieir efforts to escape the shoals of voracious bar race nt-a beneath and the hosts of mutton birds above they frequently rush into the shallow water and get stranded in l?,rge numbers. The mutton birds are so intent on their prey that they take no alarm when a boat is rowed among them. They arrive in the harbour shortly aftei daylight, and leave again for their island homes, probably 40 miles distant, shortly before dark. Some, however, appear to gorge themselves to such an extent that they cannot fly for a few hours, and when they do endeavour to leave during the night they Sometimes become dazzled"by the wharf lights and collide with the rigging-, Seveial injured birds have been picked up on the wharf on recent nights.