NOTORNIS CHICKS

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28799, 21 January 1959, Page 7

NOTORNIS CHICKS

Three Being Reared In Captivity

“The Press” Special Service WELLINGTON, January 19. Three black takahe (notornis) ehicks are being successfully reared in the Wellington area by a bird fancier who is working for the Wildlife Division of the Department of Internal Affairs. The young birds are tnriving on a diet which ranges from blowflies to baby food. The only examples of the near extinct species in captivity, the three chicks, each weighing about two pounds and a half, are the survivors of four taken from their nests in the remote Takahe Valley, in Fiordland, six weeks •go by officers of the division. The department hopes that more chicks will be successfully bred in captivity. By this means it is hoped to preserve the species, which now numbers fewer than 50 in its wild state. There are plans for restocking national parks.

Eating everything from cream sponges to blowflies and squeaking lustily to show their appreciation of the attention given them, the chicks may go on display to the public when they. get a little, bigger.

When the chicks reach adulthood they will have feathered coats of brilliant indigo blue and metallic green and coral coloured beaks and feet. The chicks show little fear of humans and come when called. They live in a wigwam under" a weeping elm tree and have the run of a large enclosed lawn. Mr G. R. Williams, a wildlife division biologist who visits the birds at their rearing centre once • week, said that the birds were brought out to give them a better chance of survival than they Would have in the bleak Takahe

Wley. ■ Transported north under the warm wings of bantam foster mothers, which had been trained for air transport by hatching duck W on moving tractors, the thicks have now outgrown the bantam’s care. They have a habit of peeking one another’s heads for particles of food. They did this to one bantam and half Its comb was taken off by the sharp, conical •haped beaks of the takahe. Covered with furry feather taiilar to that of the kiwi, they already stand nearly a foot high en< their ungainly feet. Their useless wings are rapidly grow/Th* chicks have huge appetites. In their wild state they feed on seeds, grass shoots, blowflies and ether insects. On the farm a special blowfly catcher baited with rotten eggs is hard pressed to keep up with the birds’ demands.

The chicks eat for three-quar-ters of an hour, take a rest for half an hour, then come back for another three-quarters of an hour feed. They love lettuce hearts, baby food, milk powder and protein mash combined with raw eggs. Sponge cake and cream is also appreciated by the birds.