NATIVE BIRD LIFE.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 25 July 1929, Page 2

NATIVE BIRD LIFE.

SOME SPECIES HOLDING THEIR OWN. An article which will In- of much interest to all nature students—and all who live close to Nature must surely come into this category—is published in the annual report of'the Wellington Acclimatisation. Society. To the question "Are our native birds increasRanger T. Andrews responds, "It is very difficult to say definitely"; but he goes an as follows: BITTERNS FAIRLY NUMEROUS. A visit to the swamp areas about Rangitano will probably give one the impression that the bittern at least is on the increase. Forty or more can be Hushed i u an hour or so on a thirtyacre lagoon. This local increase might be accounted for by tile drying-up of surrounding swamp country, thereby compelling the birds to congregate, 111 the small areas left. They are certainly fairly numerous throughout the Manawatu and Rangitikci districts. PUKKKO CHANGING THEIR HABITS.

The pukeko are certainly more than holding their own. They rear at least two broods of five to seven in a season, so the increase is fairly rapid. On the grass flats about the lower reaches of the Turakina river they seem to have adapted themselves to the new conditions. Instead of living in the swamps, they now seem to put in most of their time in the lupins far back on the sand hills, only visiting the flats to feed. They are very numerous in this locality. They can also be seen in large numbers about the Makerua swamps in the Manawatu.

HAUNTS 01' THE GREY DUCK. (x rev ducks were certainly very plentiful about the Manawatu early in April, but by the time the shooting seasou opened they were not nearly as numerous. A change takes place in the duck world about the first week in April. By then the late broods are strong enough on the wing to go further afield, and they leave the small lagoons and take up their residence on the larger bodies of water, leaving these only at night for their different feeding grounds. It is about this time that Acclimatisation Societies receive a host of complaints about duck poaching, but more often than not the birds have left, not on account of being disturbed, but simply because it is natural for them to do so. The duck is a very early breeder and broods are fairly common at the end of August and early in September. If the shooting season is restricted to May and June, as at present, I see no reason why the grey ducks should decrease in numbers. SHOVELLER DUCK AND LESSER BIRDS. The spoonbill, or shoveller duck, is not plentiful, either in the Manawatu nor Rangitikei districts, but is quite common in some of the backwaters of the Wairarapa Lake, sometimes being seen in their hundreds. The godwit is only a visitor to our shores, and I have never seen a flight of more than fifty in any part of our district. From November to April they can be seen at the mouths of the Turakiua, Rangitikei, Manawatu and Ohau rivers. I do not think we should have an open season for these tine birds. Banded dotterel can be seen, at the mouth of most of our rivers, and sometimes far inland. They are quite numerous in our district. Tiie pied stilt plover seems to be oil the increase and can be seen in fair numbers on the estuaries of the Oroua, Turakina, Rangitikei and the Manawatu rivers. They also at times go many miles up our rivers.

The kingfisher at present seems to \v. much in evidence, and only a, day or so ago I observed several at Bainesse, miles away from any water. They seem to be holding their own. The blue cranes do not seem to increase. They favour certain localities and may be seen at Paekakariki, Porirua Harbour and Wellington Harbour, but only in pairs or singly. PIGEONS, KAKAS AND PAEEAKEETS. The native pigeon is, I think, holding its own and can be seen throughout the Tararuas. A local stalker reported having found a nes* containing one egg as late as the 7th of April last. This nest was only seven feec from the ground and very roughly made. Needless to say, nothing was disturbed. The native pigeon must hav? a long brooding season. It is not often one. sees or hears vi kaka in these clays, and our parrakoets arc equallv as scarce. '.SMALLER FRY". The tit larks are, I think, the most numerous of all native birds. They can be .seen in most places, including the foothills, cultivated fields, and beaches. * The pied fantail comes a good second numerically, and can be peon practically everywhere. 1 personally have never observed.a black fantail in the Wellington district. The pied tit can be seen in most places, but, strange to say, the males seem to be much liiore numerous than the females. On one trip in the Tararuas, I counted twenty-odd males before seeing a hen bird. The whiteheads are still to be seen at times, but I cannot say that they are plentiful near Wellington. 11 embers cf the wren family seem to be holding their own, especially the rifleman, in tho higher levels. The white eye is numerous everywhere, a.ml to sec them in the heart of the bush one hardly recognises them as the same birds often seen in towi back yards. The native bush seems to give this bird a polish lacking else where. A CASE FOR TUB HAWK. Harrier hawks are fairly numerous, and I. think do much more good than harm. They no doubt take heavy toil of young pheasants when first liberated 'in strange localities, especially if deficient of cover, but it is very doubtful if they get many wild birds. If one cares to watch them of an evening hovering around catching ground vermin, the harrier goes up in one's estimation. I have never seen them make any attempt to touch an unwounded duck, yet in the shooting season they will dure the guns on lakes and lagoons

and account for all wounded birds, thereby doing good service. NATIVE BIEDS ABUNDANT ON THE RANGITIKEI. "While ranging the upper loaches of the Bangitikei Eiver 1 was amazed at the number and variety of native birds to be seen. We camped by a block of bush comprising about three thousand acres. This bush was composed of black and brown birch, with an occasional totara. The bell birds were literally iii their thousands. Whiteheads, riflemen wren and white eye were t.» be heard on all sides and appeared to be very numerous; an occasional pied fantail was to be seen. Tuis were there, but were not plentiful. The harrier hawk, the sparrow hawk, and another hawk, that was strange to me wore observed This strange hawk was smaller than the harrier, and appeared to have no fear, allowing me to approach within four or live yards of it. Two kaka put in an appearance about dusk, but they wore the only ones seen. At night, woodbens and morepork were to bj hoard on all sides and appeared to ho very numerous. .Kiwi were heard calling, but they did not appear to b-.'. plentiful. To hoar the bell birds calling was indeed most beautiful. I cannot understand how such a. variety of birds find sustenance in such unpromising .'.urroui.dings a. 3 birch forest.