NATURE NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 128, 1 June 1935, Page 17

NATURE NOTES

FIGHTS IN THE BIRD JVORLD

THE MAGPIE AND THE HARRIER

(By B. H. D. Stidolph, R.A.0.U.)

The magpie and the harrier are! inveterate enemies, but clashes between these birds invariably end in victory for the smaller bird, which is far more courageous and is always the attacker. There appears to be no instance on record in which the hawk has attacked the magpie nor any in which the hawk has been able to get the better of the other bird. It is not always num-. bers that count, as although sometimes a pair of magpies may continue to at-. tack a harrier, often a single bird will put the hawk to precipitate flight with equal success. Not much credit can be claimed by the magpie, however, as the harrier is a cowardly, bird and takes the easiest course possible to escape a conflict. A far more interesting combat would be one between the magpie and the native falcon, or sparrow hawk, a most courageous gentleman not to be frightened away by any screams or snapping of the bills. It is doubtful if the magpie would vanquish the falcon, but the writer has not heard or seen of a 'fight'between these two birds. Only a few days ago as the writer was proceeding along a country road he witnessed a magpie, single-handed, deal severely with a harrier, which quite innocently approached too close to a belt of pine trees near which its presence was not desired. Immediately it entered the forbidden area the magpie sallied forth from the stronghold and, flying above the hawk, swooped down on it and endeavoured to strike it with its strong bill. The hawk dodged the blow and was so utterly confused that it did not seem to know which way to fly. Taking full advantage of its indecision the magpie continued to mount above the bird and swoop down at it, and the hawk appeared to evade: the blows that were aimed at it. The encounter was only of brief duration, not more than a minute or a little longer, and the hawk retreated without at any time showing any inclination to defend itself. Conscious of its great moral victory the magpie flew back to the pines and settling on a conspicuous bough kept an eye on the intruder to make sure that it actually did depart and did not attempt a countermove. . • ...'..■■ On two or three occasions the writer has seen a fight between, the falcon and the harrier, but the latter bird never had the remotest chance against such a formidable adversary* though it is much larger. The falcon will stop at nothing and does not take any notice of the size of its opponent if it wanders into its particular domain, which is usually in bush country or on its borders. Upon .sighting the harrier entering what is\ considered forbidden territory the falcon dashes out to meet the larger hawk, which attempts to leave the locality, as fast as its wings can take \ it. As the falcon is a past master at attack on, the wing there is only one bir.d in it from the start, and as it is also a much faster bird, the harrier is fortunate indeed if it escapes without the loss of at least a few leathers;1 All the time the fight is proceeding the falcon calls out' almost incessantly. Its sharp cry of "kek-kek-kek," uttered so full of menace, strikes further terror into an already thoroughly frightened harrier. The falcon cannot be fooled, and the harrier makes no pretence of trying to. . • , Many of the fights that occur in th« bird world are the result of the invasion of territorial rights. Some birds are very pugnacious and greatly resent the intrusion of others of their kind into their particular domain. One of the most jealous birds in this way is the weka, which considers that its proprietary rights must not be transgressed, and immediately a stranger wanders into its area war is declared. The weka is a vicious fighter and prepares for the fray by ruffling up its feathers so that its whole appearance is almost grotesque. Thus making itself as formidable as possible, it rushes at its adversary, which,' similarly pre-> pared, is ready to meet the onslaught. Then the fun begins, and the two birds dance around, with lowered heads and uttering angry notes, awaiting an opportunity to obtain a hold by the. bill. Now one has seized the other by the neck and is roughly pulling it around, the cries of the almost strangled bird adding, to the tumult of the fight. At last it succeeds in freeing itself and returns to seek its revenge for this outrage on its dignity. So intensely do the birds come, to grips that sometimes it is. ne> cessary to separate them; for the bene ? fit of a quiet life. > . ( The tui is another bird that is well able to take care of itself, especially during the breeding season, when it shows a particularly pugnacious disposition towards other birds that mjjy invade the vicinity of its nest. Otlmr species, big or small, are well advisf.-d to keep clear of the tui's breedifig grounds, but it is only bitter expe»rience that teaches them in nature. 7i!he tui never loses an opportunity i of chasing away the longMtailed cucJtoo, which is regarded as an undesirable visitor, no doubt in view of its past misdeeds in robbing the nests of ■ the eggs and young. Somewhat of the same animosity is shown towards j' the shining cuckoo by smaller birds, V 4hich invariably do their best to repel ( this victimises On one occasion, when, the writer was camped on the bar fcs of the Bangitikei River, near M|anga« weka, a silver-eye, which had ar nest containing three eggs quite close fo the tent, was seen to pursue a si lining cuckoo for some distance froin the nest. The silver-eye was sitting at the time and apparently the cuckoo had located the nest and was promptly told to mind its own business.,: ".'