NATURE NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 103, 28 October 1939, Page 9

NATURE NOTES

THE STILT

AIONG-LEGGED WADER

(By R. H. D. Stidolph.)

A familiar bird on shingle rjver* beds of New Zealand during the spring and early summer months is the long-} legged, aptly-named stilt, a bird ol black and white plumage,'black bill; and pink legs. When the bird is flying the legs project well- behind the tail. Both the upper and under surface of the wings, besides the back, are black, which also extends to the ' hind part of the neck. In addition to the very noticeable long legs, which at once distinguish this bird frora others inhabiting New Zealand, the stilt has a characteristic cry which closely resembles the yapping of; a puppy. The resemblance is in fact so great that on one occasion the writer was completely mistaken. He had patiently stalked a supposed stilt and found that it was a pomeranian. The features described, combined with the bird's notes, should make the stilt one of the easiest of New Zealand birds to identify. In some districts it ii commonly known as the plover, but as this name is so loosely applied it is better to adopt the very descrii> tive title of stilt. Besides river-beds!, i this bird may also be seen around the ; margins of lakes and lagoons ./and sometimes at the mouths of rivers and in similar localities. In spite of the length of its legs it is a graceful bird. * . ■. . •'-.■••• , ADAPTED TO CHANGED j CONDITIONS. A" It is rather pleasing to know thaf the stilt has been able to accustom it-' self iri some degree to the change! brought about by settlement and has actually increased in numbers in recent years. This is all the more gratifying, as in the past it suffered severely by vandals who shot it during thi breeding season when it was inhabit- \ ing the river-beds. A lot of this ruthless slaughter has ceased, now that it is more generally known that the stilt is protected, though, of course, therfe . are still hooligans at large who would' delight in destroying it or any other bird that comes their way. The greater ; respect now paid to bird-life generally in New Zealand is probably partly responsible for this bird's increase. There \ are, all the same, some parts of the > country where, the hand of,man has effaced its habitat, such as at the mouth of the Hutt River and Waiwetu Stream, where in.the early days, according to the records left us by the pioneers, the stilt was at one time exceptionally numerous. Nowadays it is rather unusual to see a stilt; near Wellington, but occasionally one qr two • may turn up on migration at places .such as the Kilbirnie . Recreation Ground or the Miramar, golf -links. These visits are not of long duration and the birds disappear after remaining for a day or so, or perhaps only a few hours. . . ■'.-'..■ '.;/ : .■ ",-. .. • ; VARIATION IN NESTS. The stilt is a ground breeder^ th«\ ■nest being located ori the sand, shingle, or among the vegetation bordering a , swamp. The nest varies accoj#ing toj the situation. Wheri placed, on saridj ■'* not much more than a shallow scoop? •is moulded, with the addition of a meagre collection of small pieces of wood, sticks, etc. Oii shingle; more trouble is taken to provide, a softer bed and as much as a handful of material and iri somet cases considerably more is used. The most substantial nests, however, are those built in swampy situations, where a large quantity of material is considered necessary to provide the degree of comfort and dryness for the sitting bird and the eggs. In colour the eggs are usually greenish, heavily marked with black, though occasionally yellowish-toned eggs may be seen. On the whole, however, there is not a great deal of variation iri the eggs. Almost invariably, four eggs form a clutch. The young leave the nest shortly they are hatched. On one occasion the writer found a stilt's nest in which three chicks had hatched and the fourth had just emerged.* Returning an hour later, three of the young ones had disappeared and the fourth was two feet away. The legs arid feet of the chick are well developed when the youngster .is hatched and in consequence it isvwell able to get on to its legs with little delay. THE BABY STILT. A young stilt is perhaps as quaint a little bird, as is to be seen in Nety: Zealand. Contrary to. the helpless condition and somewhat repulsive appearance of passerine birds when hatched, the stilt chick and those of other members of the wader family are decidedly attractive and pretty little creatures. The baby stilt has the upper parts yellowish, liberally marked and spotted with black, while there is also a noticeable black streak on the top of . the head and also one extending from the bill to the eye. The bill is a slate colour with a white tip, and the legs and feet are a pale.' greenish slate. When danger threatens the young stilt flattens itself out on the stones or sand or, actually hides under the side of a large stone, where it remains perfectly motionless. It is most amusing to see the little stilt run, as -it finds it necessary in this means of progression to hold out its tiny wings. On account of its protective colour, it is most difficult to see a young stilt when it assumes a hiding pose. It is .more often than not only the merest good fortune that one is found, unless a patient watch is kept by ari observer in hiding on the movements of the adult birds. Not only can the chick run as soon as it is hatched, but it can also swim if the occasion demands it. * .•• . . •« • • ADULT BIRD'S ANTICS. *./■ Probably no bird in New Ze&land shows greater concern for the safety ojf its nest and eggs or young, as the case might be, than the stilt. When a human intruder approaches its nest-* irig place it adopts all sorts of subterfuges to lead the visitor away. It flags its wings, spreading them out to give the impression that an injury hats been suffered, flops itself down ori the ground, dances and jumps, all these antics being accompanied by the most pleading cries imaginable. At ' other times a stilt will swoop down ,' at an intruder, though never doing ( more than endeavouring to intimidate the offender. Occasionally, • a bird is encountered which is more resolute in this respect than others, and sometimes an unoffending fishing enthusiast, whose activities have led him to the vicinity of this bird's nesting site, is the victim of attack. Those not wise to this bird's efforts to draw an intruder away from the nest may wonder what the reason is for all these 'X antics and follow the bird. This is ' exactly what the stilt desires, as its movements are directed towards that V end. Many other birds, including ducks and dotterels, adopt somewhat similar tactics, but in no instance are these -XX employed so frequently and so artfully • as is the case with the stilt.