BIRD LIFE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20789, 7 August 1929, Page 7

BIRD LIFE.

STEWART ISLAND SPECIES. STEADY INCREASE NOTED. • That the native birds on Stewart Island were steadily increasing was tjie opinion expressed 'to a Southland Times reporter by a Stewart Island resident of long standing. He said that the birds were not in any way being harmed by the islanders, nor did the Norwegian whalers destroy or interfere with them. Stoats and weasels, fortunately, were not on the island, but there were large numbers of rats and wild cats, which took toll of the young birds, though not sufficiently to prevent a natural increase.(N One of the most 'interesting birds on Stewart Island was the large kiwi, known as the roa, which is found only on Stewart Island. Some years ago eight or nine of these birds were obtained from an islander by a Mr Markland and were sent to various parts -of the 'world. Owing to a report that, the Stewart Island kiwis wore almost extinct, the Government de-' creed that no more birds should be taken. The reporter’s informant said . he. considered this restriction quite unnecessary now, for in the course of his many trave!s\ across the island he had seen a great number of kiwis in the high country. They weye unquestionably increasing in recent years, and it seemed a pity that the Government did not allow some to be taken for distribution among zoos and, museums throughout the world. There. seemed no point m keeping:them all on the island, where they were practically never seen by visitors. A party of. American scientists had recently toured New Zealand, chiefly in connection with; its bird life, but had not been allowed to take away any specimens. Their tour had included Stewart Island, and it seemed unreasonable that they were not allowed to depart I with ev ??r f. 6in Rl 0 specimen of the big kiwi. Wekas were everywhere oh the island, from sea level to the hill tops. “If a man were offered £2OOO to exterminate them he wouldn't take it on," declared the islander. Parrakeets were also very plentiful, and on the increase. Saddlebacks had been _seen only at rare inter--mu ' occasionally j a native crow. There were any number of kakas. but no kakapqs or teas,; The native crow chose a' peculiar place for iti nest. It invari--ably seemed to select a very thin, frail l r , ee and built its nest right on top. Probably this-was for protective purposes; Tuis and bellbirds were-in unlimited humpigeons were plentiful. V ‘ There is phe-bird to which I should particularly* like to refer” continued the islander. ‘ That is,’the'native robin. No one -gives this bird justice as a songster. To my mind he is the only one of onr’ .native birds with a sustained song such as the; English birds , have. Tuis , and bellbirds may have lovely notes, but they have no sustained song. . A robin ;will mt on the tip of a dead tree and sing for an hour. It is well knoWn how tame they; are. I have, dropped crumbs on the toe of my boot, and have had them perching on, it. Tomtits and fantails ■ are also very plentiful and very tame.". , .The reporter was told that the muttonu* j w m contained very interesting bird life, There were rails running about on the swampy ar'eas and a. quaint little •weka known by the Natives as the midweka. A small snipe also appeared on the mutton-bird islands and built its nest there, ■ ■' ; , ; , ; , were increasing very rapidly on Stewart Island, especially the Virginian deer, which was increasing twice as fast as,the red deer.. The Virginian deer were inquisitive animals, and quite commonly swam out to adjacent islands to explore the Tood possibilities there. They had been see on Diva Island, which is a mile and a-half from, the mainland, .and one nad_ Deen -shot halfway across the' month of Lords River, which has .a width of a mile at its mouth. There were 5° . Captain Cookers "on Stewart Island, S 1 f few domesticated pigs were liberated on Ruggcdy -Beach, and were spreading inland; They were, however, retaining all the qualities of tlia ordinary farm yard pig, /