NATIVE BIRD LIFE

Hokitika Guardian, 8 December 1934, Page 6

NATIVE BIRD LIFE

STUDY AT STEWART ISLAND KIWIS ON THE INCREASE

In the opinion of Mr R. A. h alia, arnithologist at the Auckland War Memorial Museum, the opportunities afforded at Stewart Island for the study of bird lifo are practically unexcelled in any other part of the Dominion. Mr Falla and Mr A. W. B. Powell, conehologist at the museum, recently visited the island, where they gathered valuable scientific data on bird and marine life. “While Stewart Island is not closed to visitors, it is virtually a bird sanctuary,” and. Mr Falla., “In-view of it accessibility, it offers tourists a splendid opportunity to study New Zealand bird life. As a result of our visit we were able to secure a large number l of specimens for addition to museum collections.”

Mr Falla said he was impressed with the abundance of birds on the island. Many were more or less tame and the jibuudancc was attributed to the ah sence of stoats and weasels, and other pests which menaced 1 bird life. In the vicinity of the township of Oban, birds were unusually numerous, and evidence definitely pointed to the numerical increase of the Stewart Island kiwi. 1 We saw several kiwis during night investigations,” said Mr Falla, “and many traces of others were discovered.”

A RARE PENGUIN

An interesting aspect of the investigations into bird life was the study of the penguin, of which there were several species which were not found in the North. Mr Falla said the nesting season was in progress during his visit, and it was noticeable that the yellow-eyed penguin preferred to nest in the bush rather than on the seashore. It was amusing to watch the bird make its way from the beach to the nest. This it did with all available speed, climbing up slopes with .amazing agility. Stewart Island was the only place in the world where the yelloweyed penguin was found. “Indications are that this year will be highly successful as far as the mutton birds are concerned,” Mr Falla continued. “The nesting of these birds had .just begun when we arrived, although eggs had not been laid. However, a large number were occupying their burrows. Several hundred mutton birds had been washed up on the local beaches, but alarm was allayed when I was able to identify them as members of the Tasmanian species. On the whole, there is a promise'of a good year for other, petrels, as well as mutton birds.”

THE PREDATORY SEA HAWK Mr Falla mentioned difficulties encountered in attempts to the nest of the skua,"or sea hawk. This bird took exceptionally good care of its young, and expressed its resentment at the intrusion of cameras by continually swooping clown and attacking with its claws. He was of the opinion that while sea hawks were predatory, feeding on smaller birds they did not deplete stocks, but simply killed off a normal surplus.

Stewart Island birds, such as the kaka, '.resembled the North Island species more closely than those of the South ds!|and, their ,near-neig!hbours. This pointed to the fact that climate influenced the plumage colouring and size of birds,' as the climate of Stewart Island, owing to the presence of a warm ocean current from the west, was more temperate than that of parts of the South Island. Mr Powell expressed keen satisfaction with the results of the expedition. A large portion of the work involved dredging operations at Paterson Inlet, for which Captain C. M. Turner offered the use of his launch. Several new species of shellfish were discovered. As part of their investigations, Mr Falla and Mr Powell visited the South Island Sounds in the Coverment steamer Matai.