ROD AW GUS Partridges Appear To Be Thriving

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30678, 18 February 1965, Page 9

ROD AW GUS Partridges Appear To Be Thriving

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James Siers

It is five years since the first Danish partridge eggs arrived in New Zealand, and the latest indieatSon is that this versatile gamebird should do well in some parts. The partridge comes in a handy size, just a little smaller than the large economy class.

Though monogamous, it is an aggressive bii*d and will fight other males ferociously, which is not exactly logical because the female makes the selection.

Smaller than the pheasant and larger than the quail, the partridge should have an advantage over both in New Zealand. It should be more versatile in climate tolerance and it does not require the same type of escape cover demanded by quail and pheasant Where quail and pheasant must have bush or scrub cover, the partridge needs only a hedge, shelter-belt or that type of break in the land feature.

It flies low and fast; darts over the hedge or through a shelter-belt and goes to ground. Two Shipments The first shipment of eggs from Denmark arrived in New Zealand in June, 1959 and all 150 eggs were intact. It hatched successfully and yielded 108 chicks. A second shipment of different stock to make sure that future coveys would not interbreed, was wrongly routed by the air company to Australia, and produced only 73 chicks from 153 eggs. The chicks thrived on a diet of egg yolk and weedseed in the pens set up for them at the Internal Affairs Wildlife farm at Bulls in the Rangatikei. The birds seemed to do so well, in fact, that by next January while only five months! old, they began laying. This is the first recorded instance when five-month-old partridges were known to have laid and this after undergoing two summer moults. The birds received every consideration and little was left to chance. Sparrows around the pens were trapped

and sent to the Wallaceville Research Station to be checked for parasites and disease. They received a dean bill. Some, four to eight-week-old-birds died during the first two years but last year there was almost no trouble. Predators, although trapped, caused considerable damage.

In 1960 polecats burrowed into peas and killed 22 birds. A special trapping operatic* removed 20 polecats. It was suspected the polecats had moved into the game

farm because of rabbit board activities nearby and the reduction of rabbits. To prevent any further similar losses, flanges of wire netting were built for the pens. By November IM# a habitat survey was drawn up for the first liberations. Sites were chosen in both North and South Islands. Several acclimatisation societies with game farm facilities also offered to incubate eggs and take on the

responsibility of raising the young and with the egg production increasing at Bulls, this was appreciated. In 1961 the first liberations were made and the original coveya watched where possible. The birds have continued to hold their own in most areas where they have been liberated and in some, such as Roslyn Bush, Southland, sightings are so commonplace that farmers no longer take particular notice. Because it feeds predominantly on weed-seed and grubs, farmers may be inclined to welcome it. The next five to six years are likely to prove critical tor the acclimatisation of this bird in New Zealand. If all goes well it should not be long after this period before shooters have the pleasure of hunting it.

Invitation Declined.—South Africa’s only sub-four minute miler, De Villiers Lampbrecht, -will not be able to 1 accept an invitation to run J in New Zealand at meetings ' between March 8 and 80 be-' cause of an operation for 1 varicoae veins.—(PA) i