NATIVE BIRD LIFE

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 2715, 7 August 1923, Page 8

NATIVE BIRD LIFE

WANTON DESTRUCTION. PROTECTION CAMPAIGN. BIRD DAY” SUGGESTED. A strong effort to put a stop to the wholesale destruction of native bircj lifo which is taking placo in New Zca land is being made by the New Zealand Native Birds Protection Society, which recently embarked upon a campaign of publicity with the object of enlisting the sympathy and co-opera-tion of the people of the Dominion in securing' adequate protection foi the. country’s unique bird life. That people are keenly interested in the matter is proved by the fact that the secretary of the society has received communications from every corner of the Dominion, all protesting against the wanton destruction of native birds (says the Auckland Herald). Some of the writers blame the weasels for much of the destruction, while others hold the diminution of forest areas responsible?, but the fact remains that there Is still ample forest standing to retain its quota 01 bird life. The dominating factor, judging from the reports received, is undoubtedly the uncontrolled use of shotgun and pca-rlflc. In the North Auckland district th o Maoris appear to be the main culprits, but the shooting of pigeons is by no means restricted to them.

A spoilsman of many years’ experience has written to the society doplor. ing the ineffectual methods in existence in New Zealand for the preservation and increase of game birds. No efforts, he states, appear to have been made by Acclimatisation Societies to restrict the number of natural enemies, and very few, if any, are tOde to give proper attention to prevention of poaching. Tho common cry is weasels ” the excuse often being made that these creatures are hard to catch, although the opposite is the case. Probably, after (he poacher, the wild cat is the birds’ worst enemy. Bush and scrub contractors introduce these to keep "flown rats which the waste food attracts lo the camp, and when the contract is completed, the ca.t is left behind, generally to maintain herself. A cat requires oiic small bird or chicken daily, and the toil soon mounts up.

In an effort to secure practical recognition for its objects, the Native. Bird Protection Society is endeavouring to introduce into New Zealand schools, “Bird Day," which has been accompanied by good results in Australia and America. The movement was starred in Australia about 12 years ago, and the Gould League of Bird Lovers has now about 225,000 members, mostly school children. In a North Queensland district, over 90' trees have been grown in. the school ) grounds for birds to buikktheir nests Pin, and finches, flower-peckers, parrakeets, martins, and wagtails have all reared their young in these trees with out molestation. Birds have considerably increased in numbers in the district, and, with the exception of canaries,'there are no caged birds in the homes of the school children. In this and other districts the children