BIRDS OF THE WILD

Taranaki Daily News, 10 May 1930, Page 17 (Supplement)

BIRDS OF THE WILD

MAORI NATURE NOTES ' •

. (By J. H. S.—Copyright.) The Grey Faced Petrel. The Oii (abundant,) or grey faced

petrel,- for some years was confused with the bulkier and more stupid titi; .but now it is assigned a different class-.. 1 ification in natural History. ‘The habit of nesting in burrows, is much the same,, but the oii is a fighter, and when disturbed by the dogs of a rabbitcr at nesting time, has been able to beat off the "enemy and inflict punishment with .its strong beak.- The titi, on the other hand, quietly submits to capture, which just suited the Maori in search of food supplies. The plumage of the oii is a dull black in keeping with his underground habit in the breeding season, when the birds seem to live in companies of half a dozen pairs. At from four, to six months old, the Maoris would dig them out while their fighting parents were at sea in search of food. They appear to live, feed, and sleep at sea, and visit the islands only to repair the same holes ready for nesting and hatching. The burrow is from three to four .feet long,' and < lias • a ‘‘safety bend” in the middle to keep out water and the enemy. The Black Stilt.

The Poaki and Kaki, the spotted and the-black, stilt, are long legged' waders on the river flats where they breed. The eggs are dropped on the river silt and seem to require less attention in the hatching than those of any other bird. The young can run or hide from danger as sobn as they break from the shell. Both old and young conceal themselves behind stones suited to their own colourings, which vary with age. The. swift footed parents use all kinds of tricks to mislead those who approach too near to the eggs' dr the chicks. . For three winter months these birds completely disappear. Where they go, no one seems to know. They are ungainly flyers, with their legs “like a pair of stilts” stretching out behind; but when running or walking,' their motion is as graceful as that of a wellbred horse. The Pohowera.

The Pohowefa (warmly clad), known by-the clear cut black band across his white, breast, has quite a different character from that .of his first colisin, the tuturi whatu. In the winter. ho ' changes colour with the vegetation. The black band withers like the grass to .brown; and‘he -has q dark chestriut crossing the abdomen. One never ceases tp marvel at these adaptive resources conferred upon the -bodies of all humble creatures by the great atua. Man’s compensation is through his Godgiveir intellect hlonc, The banded dotterel live and feed on the sandy river flats, and, being comparatively useless as poultry, have no feftr of ffian. They build and breed near the homestead; but during nesting, are ever on the alert against intrusion or discovery. The Maori declares that he knows this bird to be whaka haqre or nli^ratory; but ut all seasons of tlio yeaf they are plentiful in sonie localities, rvhich seems to imply that they have Ceased to be so, if ever they were. The Whitehead (Bush Canary.) The Popokotea, or whitehead; has breast and head whitish, and back and wings brown. He is sometimes 'called the.. bush canary, like the moliua with which ho seems to claim kinship. .Never quiet or at rest, they are the busiest birds in the bush world. ’ Like some folks, they are always in a hurry, ,'but never seem to get anywhere. Unlike their relative the yellow head,, they have not .adapted, themselves to .life jn the open, so have joined' the great' majority. (In the sanctuaries they are re'ported. to be holding their own. It must be gratifying to those altruists who established these island homes for birds and trees, to know what' they have saved for our pleasure. The origin of their Maori name, like those of the . huia and the moa, is lost. When all else in the bush'was gloomy silence, the' lively movement and the happy twitter of the - popokotea were seen and heard. The male voice was the call to his mate, but some female birds' threw modesty to the winds and became songsters. The Swamp Rail.

The Puetoeto or Putoto, the shy little Swamp rail, is declared by the Maori and close observers among Pakeha naturalists to have very distinct power of ventriloquism. Its only note is like the contented purr of a cat; but it always appears to ’ come from an Opposite direction to the bird, which makes, the sound at very short intervals, apparently with the object of misleading any possible enemy. ,•• - . It is heard almost without exception near swamps of I'aupq to which plant it bears a close resemblance. This protective colouring, with the bird's shy nature and the misleading sounds, will account for the.fact that-little is known of its habits. The pioneer chil- ■ dren, who rejoiced in freedom ’ from school, I‘egarded the search for the little fellow as an interesting nature puzzle. It is said to be an expert swimmer; but it has no sign of web feet. Th® Maori name seems to mean ; that it. rises to the surface. - ' The Pukeko. - The Pukeko (knowing) is a beauty among the' low swamp lands. Its back is of 'black or very dark blue, its breast of indigo and violet, and its head in .'■> shape and colours vies with that of a turkey. ■ Wiien.at rest- the tail-.is dark, but when moving it shows a ’ white tuft at quick intervals in the same way ■ as a rabbit, to-guide its young. It is confident and unconcerned' at a few yards, but no nearer approach is’ permitted: It can fly only a short distance, and never leaves the vicinity of . a sheltering swamp. The long reddish coloured legs and. yellow beak give it a distinctive appear; j ■ - ance, but skill in hiding’and a discicet ■silence have saved it from extinction.