Rare Bird Seen at Rangiputa
A large bird of the heron family recently appeared at Rangiputa apd took up its residence among the shags which frequent the lakes there. It is a large bird about the size of the local blue bittern which frequents our harbours, but it has a spatulate or spoon-shaped bill and is white in colour, and its legs are black. This bird is the royal spoonbill (plataea regia) and is a native of Australia, but as it has been reported as being seen in different parts of New Zealand, it is sometimes classified as a native of this country. It has evidently found a suitable feeding ground on the shallow lakes at Rangiputa where minnows and fresh water shellfish are easily procured. This bird was reported during the past week by Mr. C. Leith of Rangiputa who got close enough to it to take a photo. The last bird of this variety, seen or heard of in the North was in 1932 and it was to be seen on the Ninety Mile beach near Waihi for some weeks.
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Bibliographic details
Northland Age, Volume XVIII, Issue 15, 19 November 1948, Page 6
Word Count
182Rare Bird Seen at Rangiputa Northland Age, Volume XVIII, Issue 15, 19 November 1948, Page 6
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