NATIVE BIRDS

Southland Times, Issue 20665, 22 April 1929, Page 9

NATIVE BIRDS

MUSEUM COLLECTION.

DESCRIPTION CONTINUED.

A further description of the native birds in the collection of the Southland Museum is contained in the following article, which is a continuation of those which have been recently appearing in the Southland Times. Tui and Bell-bird. There are no birds in the New Zealand bush with more beautiful voices than tuis and bell-birds. The tui, also commonly known as the parson bird owing to the white marking under its throat, is a handsome bird considerably larger than a thrush. At one time it was thought that there was grave danger of this bird becoming extinct, but it has been increasing again most reassuringly of recent years as its presence in Invercargill and the neighbouring bush clearly shows. It is again now common all over Southland. I The tui is a clever mimic, particularly of the bell-bird, and it is very hard at times to distinguish the notes of these ■two birds. The tui is very swift in its flight, which resembles that of a pigeon in its whistling noise and fluttering action. Much smaller than the tui is the bellbird or “mockey.” Like the tui this bird was scarce in Invercargill a few years ago, but has returned in fairly large numbers. Probably its apparent increase is due to the fact that the food supply in the forests has also increased of recent years, fuchsias particularly being plentiful. In the ■ evenings and early mornings the rich liquid notes of the bell-bird, resembling the tolling of a small bell, can be heard in the bush. Picknickers at Otatara during lunch will often notice a solitary bell-bird perched nearby calling to its mates, and within a few minutes as many as a dozen will be fluttering round the camp, lhe bird is about the size of a thrush, has a dull olive green back and is a yellowish green underneath.

Both the tui and the bell-bird have their bills adapted for honey eating. It is worth recording that these birds are necessary for the preservation of our native forest, since they act as do insects in the cross fertilization of forest trees. The extinction of the birds would certainly mean a decrease in native trees. Crested Grebe and Heron.

Two beautiful birds in the collection are the crested grebe and the white heron (or crane). The crested grebe is fairly well distributed in fiordland though it is by no means common. Its crest and its ruff make it a remarkable bird to look at. It is rarely found in flocks, usually being solitary or in pairs. There is no better diver in the bird world. The grebe has a slight resemblance to the crested shag and on one of the lakes recently a man who thought, he was taking shots at a shag was doing his best to destroy a crested grebe. The white heron is a stately bird with pure white plumage. It stands fully three feet high. For some years one lived adjacent to Kew and actually roosted with the fowls in the farm yard. Though sometimes seen at Stewart Island and on the lakes I.crons are by no means common. In the case with the grebe and the herons are specimens of pied stilt and black stilt, and the Auckland Island rail, which is very different from the New Zealand rail. It is a dumpy bird with markings like a thrush and a long bill. There is also the large New Zealand owl, often called the laughing owl, which is being rapidly displaced by the noisy little German owl. The bush hawk or sparrow hawk is also shown, and below it the quail hawk or falcon. The bush hawk is much smaller than the harrier, but has none of the cowardly characteristics of the bigger bird, which will desert its young at the first hint of danger. Small Birds. Many interesting little native birds are to be seen in the different cases. There is the New Zealand robin, which, by the way, has no red breast. There are two species, one in the North Island and one in the South. It was feared at one time that they were extinct, but they have evidently conquered the cause of their disappearance, and are rapidly coming back, though they are not as tame as formerly. In the Lilburn Valley and on stretches of the Waiau they are very common, anti a few are seen at Manapouri boarding house. In the early days they were thick round Invercargill, and their pugnacious tendencies used to give residents much amusement. The nests of robins and other birds are picturesquely shown in the case.

The rifleman, the tiniest- of New Zealand birds, Is an interesting little chap, which may be seen climbing up trunks at Waihopai bush. Then there is the wax-eye or silver-eye. It is not certain whether this is a migratory bird or not. It certainly disappears from its regular haunts for several months in the year. It is very fond of insect pests, such as the green fly. and for this reason is often called the blight bird. Fat is also another favourite food and in the days when butter was made on the farm, these little birds would wait for the butter-milk to be thrown out so that they could pick out the little bits of fat.

A charming visitor to Invercargill homes in winter is the fan-tail, of which the two species, pied and black, arc shown in the collection. Although these two species are recorded in Invercargill, observers have proved that they cross. Fan-tails are very tame and confiding, but manage to hold their own. They are insect-eaters and will enter a room quite unconcernedly in search of flies. When the confidence of an observer is gained the eggs and young birds can be handled on the nest without the parents getting unduly perturbed. (To be continued.)