Birds Causing Great Concern To Orchardists

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27166, 23 August 1949, Page 4

Birds Causing Great Concern To Orchardists

Special to the Daily Times ROXBURGH, Aug. 22. The depredations of birds are at present causing orchardists considerable concern. For some unknown reason toe birds are plucking the buds off plum and apricot trees. A Roxburgh grower reports that plum trees in his orchard have been completely stripped of bloom-buds, while others report heavy losses on apricot trees. It is quite apparent that the damage is not done for food as the young bloom buds are on the ground, and with the mild winter experienced in the district there should be plenty of natural food. Strangely enough, it is reported in Wanaka that the birds do exactly the same damage to Forsythia bushes, stripping the shrubs of every blossom-bud.

Commenting on this report, a Dunedin ornithologist told the Daily Times that it was more or less pure mischief on the part of the birds —a bad habit which once started would be hard to get rid of. Similar damage was also done to flowers, particularly polyanthus. The birds might be after the honey in the buds, but it was doubtful.