NATURE NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 48, 26 February 1938, Page 17

NATURE NOTES

SOME SAMOAN BIRDS

THE TOOTH-BILLED PIGEON

(By R. H. D. Stidolph.)

One of the strangest birds found anywhere in the world is the toothbilled pigeon of the Samoan Islands. It has the body and legs of a. typical pigeon but a -remarkably heavy and powerful bill, the upper mandible of which is notched on the cutting edge and has a sharp hooked point which overlaps that of the lower mandible, so as to give almost the appearance of a parrot's bill. The tooth-billed pigeon is about the same size as the domestic bird and in colour, the plumage is i ■ generally dark, relieved with chestnut on the back, wings, and tail, wbTie the striking bill is orange and the legs and feet reddish ochre. It is stated that it now, feeds mainly in trees, whereas it formerly gathered much food ou the ground and roosts upon the high branches of trees instead of upon low stumps as was -formerly the case. At one time it was on the verge of extinction but in later years, on account of its supposed change of habits, it has become numerous again. In any case, very little appears to be known about its habits. It is stated that it formerly built its nest on the ground but now uses the fork of a tree as a site for itnest. MIGRATING VISITORS. According to Mr. John S. Armstrong in his "Hand-list of the Birds of Samoa," there are sixty-three birds on the Samoan list, of which thirty-seven are resident species, six migratory and twenty sea-birds of* more or less wide distribution. No less than twenty-one of the land birds are peculiar to the group. Quite a number of the birds found in these islands occur also in New Zealand. The well-known grey duck of New Zealand enjoys a fairly wide distribution, including , Samoa, though it is the only duck found there. It is, however-, present in small numbers only. Several of the migratory waders pay visits to the group, including the turnstone, which breeds in the Northern Hemisphere and moves southward to New Zealand, Australia, and other countries. It has been recorded in Samoa in August' and in May. Another traveller, the golden plover, which likewise reaches New Zealand, and has similar habits, is reported to be fairly numerous from January till May. The godwit, perhaps the best known of the migratory birds that visit New Zealand annually, has been recorded from several islands in the group. It is probable that further investigations will reveal the presence of other migratory visitors not hitherto recorded. SOME NEW ZEALAND BIRDS. The banded rail, which is most' numerous in the Auckland district and occurs sparingly in other parts of the Dominion, is, according to Mr. Armstrong, found in many places in the Samoan group, being; met with all over Upolu wherever there is suitable cover. It appears to breed there twice a year.' A more familar New Zealand bird, the pukeko, although well distributed in the "Taro" swamps of Samoa, is not very numerous. The blue heron, which is found all round the New Zealand coast, is one of the commonest shore birds on Upolu. Like the New Zealand bird, it has the grey plumage though elsewhere the white phase is often encountered. This heron, in fact, is found as, far north as Burma, the Bay of Bengal, and the Malay Peninsula. Another interesting species occurring in the Samoan group is the long-tailed cuckoo, which visits New Zealand every summer and victimises the whitehead in the North Island and the creeper in the South Island, to which species it entrusts the rearing of its young. In the Samoan group the long-tailed cuckoo has been recorded from October to February and also in April and May. Considerably more information is required, however, before its movements in the group can be ascertained.

NESTS IN A TUNNEL. Including the. remarkable toothbilled pigeon, there are six species of pigeons or doves in the group, most of them being quite numerous. A single species of owl, which is distributed throughout the Polynesian islands is found in the bush and cocoanut plantations of Upolu while a parrot is also recorded from . two islands of the group. There are two species of kingfishers, one being confined to the American island of Tutuilr,. The so-called edible swiftlet is reported by. Mr. Armstrong as being very numerous over the .bush- round the mouths of peculiar underground tunnels that penetrate the larval rock. This bird actually builds its nest as much as two hundred yards down these tunnels, the sites being in total darkness. A small bird somewhat akin to the tomtit of New Zealand is common on' Upolu while another species is a fantail related to the wellknown New Zealand bird. On at least one island of the group is a whiteeve which also bears some resemblance to the species found in the Dominion. Other birds found in Samoa include a flycatcher, two species of cuckooshrikes, a thrush, a wood-shrike, a thickhead, three honey-eaters, a nncli, and two' starlings. The commonest bird in Samoa, Mr. Armstrong observes, is the wattled honey-sucker. NATURAL RESERVES. Mr. Armstrong states that "the first impression on arriving at Samoa is the extreme dearth of all bird-life; there are no friendly gulls to accompany the ships into port and on lading nohe of the familiar town birds, such as tne sparrow, starling, or minah are to be seen about the streets; the fact is, nearly all the native birds belong to the bush or swamp while the sea birds are of the timid type that frequent . the lonely sandbanks or rocky islets _? the edge of the reef, away from human habitations." He goes« onto | state that little change appeals to have 'taken place in the bird Me d <_he group, no doubt because the hills are precipitous and thickly bush-clad that large areas are practically impenetrable, thus forming »f^ al reserves. The only species that have decreased to any extent or been exterminated are those that breed in holes in the • ground, such as the petiei.. Altiougf several hav-e been introduced to the islands only one, the bush-fowl has become established. Apparently there is at- least one bird sanctuary-in the islands as Mr. Annstron" mentions incidentally that the Samoan thickhead is one of the commonest birds in the bird sanctuary on Mount Vaea. . .