UNUSUAL VISITOR

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 95, 16 January 1939, Page 3

UNUSUAL VISITOR

Wandering Albatross In

Paddock

TIRED, BUT UNINJURED

Dominion Special Service.

CHRLSTCIHUKUH, January 13.

A wandering albatross with a wing span of 9ft. Gin., was found to have made a forced landing in a paddock at Hororata this morning. The bird was found by Mr. W. R. Oliver, of the Downs Road.'and was wandering about among some cows, which were obviously disturbed by the s-tran-ge giant. It was not injured, but was very tired, so that Mr. Oliver had little difficulty in catching and examining it. He found that it was grey wit'll wings that were white underneath. 1-t weighed about 20 or 251,b. in his estimation, mid measured 9ft. Gin. from wing tip to wing tip. It liad a pink bill, and grey, webbod feet, and was apparently a young bird, because Mr. Oliver said it had a baby squeak. Except for a few j»cks a-t. Mr. Oliver when he first caught it. the bird was not tierce.

Inquiries at the t'nnterbury Museum revealed that the bird wits probably a wandering al'batrosis. Its size was too great for a giant petrel, which is also grey. There are records, a museum official said, of albatrosses having come inland and landed because of fatigue at. Auckland and Little River. Albatrosses eamiot rise off Hal land, needing a large expanse of water to take the air.

There is a small lake near the paddock where the bird "'ns found in the property of "Mr. G. Smith, a neighbour of Mr. Oliver, but attempts will probably be made to help the bird into the air from a steep bill. The bird possibly comes from the Otago Heads nesting place, which is Ihe only known nesting ground of albatrosses on the Dominion's coasts.