BIRDS OF THE BUSH

Taranaki Daily News, 21 December 1929, Page 1 (Supplement)

BIRDS OF THE BUSH

MAORI NATURE NOTES.

(By

J. H. S.

—Copyright.)

The Huia— The Maori, ■who loves to give an answer which pleases, will tell you tlie name huia comes from the habit of the huia birds of meeting together (hull. Their strangely trustful and confident manner in man’s presence, coupled with the fact that the white tipped tail feather was sold at a guinea each, was the cause of their complete-..disappearance. The huia is of dark peacock blue, white beak, orange wattle, and white band across the tail. With short strong bill, the father bird pecked away the wood, in which the huliu, a fat white grub, bored his home. Mother then stepped y; in, inserted her long slender beak, fashioned by Nature for the purpose, and, shared the juicy wriggling morsel with her mate. Had they survived, New Zealand would have a world’s reputation for this unique bird alone. Among the Maoris, its feather could be owned or worn /only by a rangatin of rank. In spite of the fact that tho -■ ■■■ birds were caught in thousands for food and mats, these blaek and white tail feathers always seemed to be rare. They were tapu (held .sacred) by the tohunga '. for the rangatira. No other dared to hold them, lest he be accursed.

The Harrier Hawk— The Maori name of the harrier hawk is the kahu (the garment). The bird is indeed clothed in fine' feather raiment, sometimes kahu rangi, the mantle A heaven. It has a dark brown head with real hawk eyes and small sharp beak, encircled by a perfect necklace of tawny white plumes. This, with abundant hovering of striped feathers and silvery tail, makes the big , fellow 1 a beauty among his kind. Slow flying oh wide spread wing, soaring at a low altitude where he might drop upon a bird, a rat, or a ra|)bit, makes him ah easy shot for a rifle or a sports gun. A cat is said' to bo the only small animal which instinct teaches him wisely to avoid. The hawk can soar without any wing movement for an hour. It/isja. searcher for duck eggs, and feeds greedily upon dead sheep, which are plucked c' an at the point of entry. Great flocks of small birds attack and worry this slow: giant of the air until he drops to cover. If the nesting place is approached, he makes no fight, but simply leaves. -j' The Sparrow Hawk— ■

The- kdrtiarei/' ; or Sparrow hawk is smaller, fiercer, and even swifter than his brothdi 1 the falcon. He haunts the rocky gorges of the mountain and feeds, upon mice, lizards, and small birds. The birds nest on dead trees in exposed places, where their savage attacks are directed upon intruders. They fightfiercely in defence of their homes, but seldom attack unless molested.

The journal, of a surveyor records a curious instance of their angry resentment when his party put the axe to their homo tree. The pair flew in the men’s faces And one man’s ear was split. - Viflicn his black felt’hat fell off, they swooped down and tore it in pieces, evidently thinking it was the real enemy. Several birds have been seen to attack a kotuku which strayed too hear their nursery; but the swift sharp bill .oon beat them off. Even a big seagull fled before their savagery. j The Kaka-— .

The kaka, whose constant raucous cry proclaims the origin of his name, is the , most confiding,, playful and miscliievous bird in the He is either in search of insects and honey to sweeten his bitter taste, or taking acrobatic physical exercise on a branch, round which ho swings by claw or hooked beak for hours. Sympathy and fellowship, leads to its easy capture by the Maori, who prizes it for food, as he does the red and brown ’ feather woVen into an ornamental warm mat; < . , •

A captured bird under torture cries loudly, and this brings a score of others to the rescue. The hunter, concealed by leafy boughs', grasps it by the leg, and this renews the cries of distress and increases the. number of: his victims.

In filial affection the pair make great homo preparation for the coming brood in a hollow tree. Brown on the back, dark red on breast and tail and under the wings, they fly in small flocks at dawn or dusk. The Kakapo—

Tho kakapo (parrot of night) is as strange a fellow in the bush as he is jn. the house. Though his wings are a foot long they are useless, except to flap when ho runs. He climbs from the ground to tlie tree tops by his hooked beak and stroqg claws. The kakapo feeds on grasses'and moss among which his protective colouring hides him from an enemy. As a pet ho plays like a young kitten, and has been likened to a child in intelligence.

The flesh resembles and tastes like lamb, so it cannot be wondered that the birds became rare, their extinction being only averted by protective measures and the bird sanctuaries. In the bush the tracks of the kakapo are as well defined by long use, as the sheep trails on a hillside. The kakapo is a strong fighter with beak and claw, but is as friendly as children, and yields quickly to kindness. The Green Kaka—

Tho kakariki (little, green kaka) has its rarer varieties marked with red or yellow on the head and breast, These varieties are named powhaitere. The kakariki was seen in thousands up to fifty years ago, and because of extensive damage to grain and fruit the birds were ruthlessly destroyed. They were the most brilliantly coloured of our birds and tho commonest among foragers. Now, except in the sanctuaries, they cannot be seen. '

Tame beyond the ordinary bird, and quick to learn to speak, the Maori and the pakelia made pets of them. The nest is a fluffy ball of green moss and greener feathers, and as it holds six or eight eggs, one wonders at the rapid decrease of the species. For many seasons there were invasions of them like countless swarms of flics.