WILD LIFE IN NEW ZEALAND

Otago Witness, Issue 3415, 29 August 1919, Page 61

WILD LIFE IN NEW ZEALAND

By the Hon. G. M. Thomson, F.L.S. No. LVH—BLACKBIRDS AND HEDGE SPARROWS. . The blackbird is most distinct in appearance from the thrush, and yet, except for the dark colour, there is absolutely no structural difference between the two. The blackbird ds entirely black in plumage, with a bright orange bill in the male, «and a ring of orange round the eye. At this season of the year, when the birds are mating, the colours are particularly bright. The female is brown, with a dark brown bill, and there are blackish stripes on the throat and breast. Just as in the case of the thrushes, male blackbirds have most savage fights with one another, and anyone watching them closely at this beginning of spring may observe this for himself. The male bird is a particularly noisy fellow, . and when disturbed or alarmed raises a succession of shrill,' clear, almost chuckling notes, as he raises his tail, flaps his wings, and hops along the ground preparatory to taking flight, all in the most excited manner., I do not know exactly the object of this noise, for, being such a conspicuous bird, it only serves to draw attention to his presence; but if you watch a cat stalking a blackbird, the latter raises such a commotion when he catches sight of his enemy that the cat appears, and probably is temporarily cowed. Probably the noise is to frighten the enemy. . The breeding season may begin in August in New Zealand, but'it is usually September before nests are found. The nest is built in a hedge or small tree, and is constructed of roots, small twigs, grass sterns, lichens, and similar materials, covered inside with mud and "lined with finer materials; it is often skilfully hidden. The eggs, usually five in number, are dull light blue or greenish-brown, mottled and spotted with reddish-brown, the markings being at the larger end, where they sometimes form an obscure ring. The female sits for 13 days. Blackbirds feed on worms, insects, and grubs of all kinds, snails, seeds of various plants, including wheat and other cereal grains, and especially—in the season —succulent fruits. Mr Philpott thinks the spread of these latter plants in these islands is probably due to a greater extent to blackbirds than even to thrushes. Kerner states that the blackbird is much less fastidious in regard to its food than the thrush. When fed in confinement, it swallowed even poisonous fruits like those of the yew, and never rejected a single fruit that was mixed with its food. Of the fruits and seeds which passed through the intestines, 75 per cent, germinated. Macgillivray's account of a blackbird getting worms is worth reproducing. He says: "It is amusing, to observe a-' blackbird searching, for food-on the smooth grass of a garden, which one may easily do from the window without being noticed. In December . I watched one in order to note its motions. After looking quietly, at a particular spot for some time it hopped up, began to peck the ground with great energy, and after some exertion succeeded in dragging out a worm of moderate size, which it immediately threw on the ground. It then pecked at the worm for nearly a minute, and, beginning at one end, separated by a sudden stroke a small portion, which it swallowed. In this manner it proceeded until it had devoured the whole, not swallowing at any timq. more than a small fragment. It then hopped about, looking now and then attentively at a certain spot, and at length began to dig vehemently for another worm,> which it soon procured. This was the first time I had closely watched a blackbird while searching for worms, but I have since had repeated opportunities of convincing myself that it always proceeds in the same manner, never swallowing an entire worm unless it happens to be extremely small, and cutting the very large ones into a great, number of pieces. When searching for food it hops or leaps with great alacrity, keeping its tail a little raised and its wings loose ;"and when perched on a tree, twig, or wall, it generally elevates its tail, unless disposed to doze, in which case it draws in its neck, ruffles its plumage, tucks up its wings, and allows the tail to droop. . . . The flight of a blackbird over an open space is steady, without undulations; but along the hedges is wavering and fitful, and the bird suddenly darts into the place " which it selects and instantly settles." / As with so many other introduced species, the Nelson Acclimatisation Society was the first to import and liberate blackbirds, 26 being brought in in 1862. There no record of their success or failure, but the probability is that the birds at once established themselves. The Otago Society liberated two birds in 1865, six in 1867, and 39, 21, and 70 respectively in the three following years. Ten years later they state that " they are now exceedingly numerous, and we regret to say. are found to be rather partial to cherries and other garden fruits." In " Station Life in New Zealand" (page 16) Lady Barker, writing of her voyage from New Zealand in 1855, says: "111 as I was, I remember being roused to something like a flicker of animation when I was shown an exceedingly seedy and shabby-looking blackbird with a broken leg in splints, which its master assured me he had boiight in Melbourne as a great bargain for only £2 10s." The Canterbury Society received two blackbirds in 1865 from Captain Rose, of / the Mermaid, who also sold "a numb-vr of eong-birds to the society for £lß.' I regret to say that there is no record of these song-birds to enable us to identify them. In 1867 the societv introduced 46, and in 1868 152 blackbirds. In 1871 the report states of them, as of the thrushes, that " they have not increased as well as was expected, and, it is much to be feared, fcave been killed by cats." . In the same year Mr R. Bills brought out a further

consignment of 62 to the society, and many more were introduced in 1875. The Auckland Society introduced about 30 in 1867, and 132 in the following year, when they were "considered to be thoroughly acclimatised." In 1869 a further large consignment was liberated. It is rather singular that in the far north of Auckland, at Whangarei and further north, blackbirds are rare or are altogether wanting, while thrushes are common. Mr Philpott, writing me last year, says that, " unlike the thrush, the blackbird is to be found in the heart of the big bushas. I have met with the bird wherever I have gone, and found it as common on the Hunter Mountains at 3000 ft elevation as in the bush near Invercargill. I have no records of the thrush occurring in alpine forests." Blackbirds can hold their own against anv other bird denizens of the forest. Mr L. J. Phillips, of Kaitoke, states that on several occasions he has seen two or three blackbirds set on and kill a tui. The blackbird has found its way to the Chatham Islands, which are 450 miles from the nearest point of New Zealand. They are increasing there, and are scattering ' seeds of such noxious weeds as the blackberry. Mr Drummond also is responsible for the statement that they "have taken up their residence on the lonely Auckland Islands." These are about 290 mile 3 from the south ' end of Stewart Island. The. prevalent winds, however, would sadly impede the passage of a bird bound southwards. In Europe there are migratory races\ both of thrushes and blackbirds, and it is quite possible that some of the birds introduced into New Zealand may have belonged to such races. • Though efforts to introduce robin redbreasts into New Zealand have not been successful, it may be desirable here to refer to the attempts which have been made. Nelson, Canterbury, Auckland, Wellington,' "and Otago all brought out redbreasts between 1862 and 1886, but the last-named society alone made a big effort. In 1885 Mr R. Bills imported 80 birds, of which 40 (for the Acclimatisation Society) were liberated at Pulton's Bush, West Taieri, and the remainder were sold to private individuals. In 1886 some 20 more were brought out and set free at Fulton's Bush. They were "scarcely ever seen again, but in 1891 the late Mr A. C. Begg reported one in a Dunedin suburban garden. The cause of failure was never understood; but Mr A. Binnie (who was Mr Bills's assistant at the time) assures me that all the birds which were imported were cocks, which is a possible, though not a very satisfactory explanation. lam more inclined to favour the idea that birds of migratory races were introduced, for bird-catchers frequently make their best catches of birds which are gathering preparatory to starting on their journeys. In 1897 the Otago Society received two redbreasts (out of 10 shipped from London), and in 1900 one (out of eight shipped). These were liberated on Otago Peninsula, but were not seen again. The hedge-sparrow (Accentor mcdularis) is now one of the commonest of our introduced birds, and is a very popular species with all who know it. No bad habits are recorded against it. Unfortunately a great many people who see it nearly every day of their lives, do not know it, and don't recognise its song, which is heard continually now. Its quiet, timid ways and very modest colouring cause it to be overlooked by non-observant people—that is, by the majority of persons. It is not a sparrow at all, and does not even belong to the same family of birds. In many parts of England it is known by the distinctive' but ugly name of dunnock. It is a much smaller and slighter bird than the common sparrow, the male being not more than 6in long. The back is brown; the head, neck, and breast show a bluish-grey colouration more or less streaked with brown. The female is more dull in colour, but is otherwise undistinguishable. Its song is very sweet and ■plaintive, though rather monotonous. In Otago it is occasionally heard in winter, but it begins to sing regularly in August,, and is heard throughout the summer, only stopping during the moulting season, which is about February. Nesting begins in September. The nest is a neat little structure of small twigs and grass, lined with moss or any other soft material which is handy. The eggs are usually four or five in number, and are of a beautiful greenish-blue colour. Incubation lasts 10 days, and there are usually two broods in a year. Some county councils rather foolishly pay for the eggs of the hedge-sparrow. There is no excuse for this, for every boy knows the eggs, and would not take them unless a price was offered for them. The bird is too useful to be destroyed wantonly.