THE GERMAN OWL

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 132, 5 June 1937, Page 15

THE GERMAN OWL

SPREADING NORTH

OTAGO'S CHECKING EFFORT

I Nobody who loves the smaller New Zealand birds, such as the fantail and grey warbler, wrens and robins, will view with equanimity the gradual spreading north of the German owl mistakenly released in Otago many years ago to aid. the fruit growers who suffered by the attacks of small birds. In many cases it is doubtful if the majority of small native birds are destructive to fruit. Some of them definitely are not, but are on the contrary the orchardists' friends, as they, destroy the smaller insect pests which cause heavy expenditure on many gallons of spray if the trees are to be kept clean. Native trees are not so subject to these blights and insects as are the fruit trees.

The German owl is naturally no more discriminating than the orchardist. A fantail or a wax-eye probably tastes as good as one of the larger important fruit-eating birds, and all are equally easily caught ..at night when the owl is feeding.

It is known that the German owl }s increasing in Canterbury, and it has been reported much further nortbi • It is even claimed that it has reached fhe North Island, but, although observers have been convinced they have seen them north of Cook Strait, no definite owl killed in this island has so far been "produced.

Writing to a southern journal, Mr. A. H. Fisher, one of the most prominent leaders in the campaign against the foreign native bird killer, states that 3002 owls have been taken and paid for in two years, and that ' the average monthly receipt per month in Otago is 165. ■

A very interesting article .was recently published in the- Southland "Times" by Mr. G. Jaquiery, in which he demonstrates that the German owl is a very serious menace to our native birds, and the repercussions of its impoi'tation . are beginning to show themselves in no uncertain manner. For instance, the native beetle has become a greater pest than the white pine borer, . having taken possession of black pine flooring of new verandahs and destroyed them within three years. "This is attributed to the disappearance of our native birds, which kept this pest in check," writes Mr. Fisher. "It is obvious that the work of exterminating the /owl is a momentous problem, but'l firmly bglieve it is not insurmountable. ■ What we have done so far has had a most gratifying effect. The native birds this year are more numerous than for many years past, local residents having proclaimed through the Press their pleasure at the sight of tuis and other native birds in their gardens this winter. In my garden at St. Clair the bellbird is a constant visitor. So are the fantail, the tomtit; and the grey warbler, to say nothing of the waxeye, which is such a ravenous little fellow that he never leaves the bird tables from daylight to dark. I .have also had visits from that noble bird the tui; such a treat has not been our. lot for many years." • .