THE SPANGLED STARLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3912, 5 March 1929, Page 34

THE SPANGLED STARLING.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —As a student of Nature in a casual way, I was much interested in Mr J, Drummond’s interesting remarks concern-, ing the spangled starling in your issue of February 12. Whilst I am not out to in any way doubt all or anything set forth by Mr Drummond, from my observations in Southland since the importation of the starling I can only imer tnat it must be a shortage of insect life in Otago that has brought about a taste by the bird for the many foods Mr Drummond refers to in his interesting story of the habits of this happy, useful little friend of the farmers in Southland. Though I cannot, recall the exact date of these ueiug iiuer-* ated in Southland, I know there was no such bird here in the very early ’sixties. ■The point I wish to stress is that during all the years of my observations of the starling and its habits in Southland I have never at any time seen or Known of one touching fruit or grain of any kind, nor have I ever known or seen it nest in anything but a hole of some kind. I can only surmise that it was necessity at some time further north that caused starlings to cultivate a taste for anything other than grubs, worms, and various insects, and though I am interested in all Mr Drummond tells üb, it was all news to me, and I shall keep a very vigilant watch from this on, as my past observations may not be infallible. The one and only exception to my observations was on a station in Southland some years ago, when a lost tame starling suddenly appeared on the kitchen table, and was pecking at the remains of an apple pie. The owners and rearers of the little chap had suddenly left the place. The father, who was a miner at Nokomai, was supposed to look after the bird during the absence of the mother and children. The mine was some little distance from the family abode, and for several days the bird went back and forward with the miner, but the noise of the stampers apparently frightened it, and little by little it found its way to Five Rivers, where it must have been induced to stop through the presence of a little girl who was staying there. The girl and the bird became very fast friends, and the latter was caged only through the night. It was just like one of the household, going and coming at will. ' Strange to say, when the girl was sent a message to the woolshed or sheep yards the bird flew in short stages with her, and would sit about on a shed or fence until she was ready for home again? The boss took a great liking to the bird, which would sit on one of the pictures in the room during meal times. The bird was very partial to certain tunes, and when the boss whistled any of its favourites it would come closer and closer until it got to the top button on the man’s waistcoat, and in its own way would now and then try to join in. Its eyes told only too plainly how it enjoyed the whistling. I know of no bird so susceptible to domestication or more easily taught to imitate in its own way, provided it is taken in hand when young. Finally, the bird’s jealousy was its undoing. The boss found a nest of young starlings nearly ready to fly in one of’ the outlying huts, and fetched them home. From that moment the other bird was never the same. It moped and fretted, and one morning it was missing, and wu never saw it again. It was a sad and dreary house for all of us. particularly little Isy, who loved her little pet dearly, as we all did. The new arrivals were quite untameable, and those that did not die were let out. —I am, etc., Lovee of Nature.