A BIRD OF PREY

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 47, 19 November 1936, Page 10

A BIRD OF PREY

Vexed Question of the German Owl MAN’S FRIEND OR ENEMY? Immobile but lifelike, there perched yesterday afternoon on the desk of Mr. E J. C. Wiffin, .secretary ot the Wellington ' Acclimatisation Society, a splendid specimen of the little German owl It was stuffed and mounted, ono of several obtained by the society from Otago and prepared for exhibition purposes by the Dominion Museum taxidermist. 1 , , .. , While I he little German owl, wholly unconcerned with the debates of men, passes his time skirmishing after small birds mice, and insects, heated discussion of his habits rends the conclaves of his human friends and enemies. For, while the orchardists and fruitgrowers regard the owl as their ally, acclimatisation societies and otljer bodies interested iu the preservation of New Zealand native bird-life declaim against him with indignation, as a heartless murderer delighting in wholesale massacre of bellbird, fantail, tomtit and bushrobiu, and any other .small bird that may fall into the clutch of his murderous curved talons. A few months ago the Wellington society made inquiries, and obtained opinions on the merits of this owl from a number of ornithologists and experts. The consensus of opinion was to the effect that while the grey owl certainly killed a proportion of noxious insects and birds, he also destroyed many blight-eating and insectivorous species, and showed a preference for a bird with au .insect diet. The learned name for this owl is Athene Noetua. It was imported from Germany by the Otago Acclimatisation Society just 30 years ago. More than a couple of dozen birds were imported in 1906, 14 being let go at Ashley Downs, Wniwera, and a like number at Alexandra. The next year 39 were imported, and were all released at Alexandra. The third shipment, in 1908, comprised 80 owls for general liberation throughout Otago, and by this time specimens released in earlier years were reported to be nesting. Like many other guests from overseas, they took only too literally the invitation to make themselves at home, and although at first they apparently concentrated on the superabundant sparrow, they soon included in their menu the tastier morsels of the Dominion’s indigenous fauna. Working North. Now the owls are beedming increasingly numerous in the South Island and Stewart Island. While most common in the province of their liberation, they have spread as far as the Marlborough Sounds, but apparently have not yet crossed Cook Strait. But Wellington sportsmen and bird-lovers are naturally apprehensive, for 20 miles of sea is a small barrier to a bird, particularly when sped by the prevailing westerlies. At Lowry Bay, where the morepork abounds in the bush, several times recently observers have believed they heard or saw the grey 'owl. So far no definite confirmation has been received. The grey owl and the morepork are, to a casual observer, much alike, and anyone not fully acquainted with both birds might well mistake one for the other. The German owl is a brown bird, mottled with white; he lias whitish cheeks and chin, white throat and breast, with a brown band across his neck. His beak and legs are yellow. The morepork is a much darker brown, and has a black beak. He has not nearly such a close-cropped tail as the foreign bird, and he is slightly larger. But the main distinguishing features are his habits, for while the morepork is almost wholly arboreal and a night-bird, the German owl Hies by day almost as much as by night, and likes to make his home in a rabbitburrow. Although he has not the morepork’s distinguishing cry, his voice is too similar to be an easy means of identification. Besides, the morepork’s vocabulary is not-as limited as most people believe. It is said that where the two species of owls come in contact, the native bird is driven away. The morepork. although himself a bird-eater, is primarily insectivorous, and has been granted protection as a useful bird. The German owl, blamed for the disappearance of makomako and fantail from many of theii- haunts, appears a more rapacious bird, especially as he hunts by daylight. But fruitgrowers are as earnest and staunch in their support as the acclimatisation societies are in objection to him. The specimens at present in the hands of the Wellington society will be displayed in shop windows in the city, and displayed at various schools, to familiarise the public with the bird, render identification easier, and ensure that as much accurate information as possible shall be obtained about the bird’s habits. Meantime, all unaware of any enmity it has aroused, the handsome brown-and-white bird blinks golden eyes, wide with surprise, from the mouth of its snug burrow, or flits on silent pinions along the fringes of the forest, goaded by hunger in eternal quest of prey. (Picture on page 9.)