THE SHINING CUCKOO

Taranaki Daily News, 18 December 1930, Page 2

THE SHINING CUCKOO

Bird lovers will be interested in the doings of a pair of grey warblers in an Opoho garden, Dunedin. The birds built in a red manuka bush within six feet of a busy street and duly laid their eggs. An addition to the clutch was made in the shape of a shining cuckoo’s egg. The result is that there are now no young warblers, the sole Occupant of the nest being a half-fledged shining cuckoo. The young cuckoo is already nearly twice as largo as the foster parents and has an enormous appetite. Several times an hour from daylight to dark tjib warblers visit the Cuckoo With their beaks cranimed with insects, but he Still appears to be hungry. Apart from being an interesting example of parasitism the incident shows what can be done in the way of encouraging the native birds to nest close to civilisation.