Useful Birds.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 852, 28 August 1933, Page 6

Useful Birds.

Nature Notes.

By James Drummond, F.L.S., F.Z.S. TRAPPER little redpolls, the males wearing crimson caps and sometimes pink or crimson vests, are fairly plentiful near Christchurch, particularly at New Brighton. Unlike some other introduced species, they are birds of good report, doing no harm whatever to weigh against their usefulness. An experiment to put them to the test was made in a Christchurch aviary, in which several species of birds were kept. Twigs covered with green-fly were thrust into separate cages in the aviary. The pests were ignored by species after species until the redpolls’ cage was reached. As soon as the twigs were inside the bars the redpolls set upon the green-fly, and in a short time none of the pest remained. According to Mr L. Bastings, of Dunedin, redpolls, while busy and active, prefer to go in companies. If the comoanies are large, scouts are posted when the redpolls are feeding. It is the lesser redpoll. Linota rufescens. that has been introduced into New Zealand from the Old Country. The species is a native of England, of Scotland, and of part of Western Europe. There is a belief in England that only the males have bright colours. A Christchurch bird fancier reported that females sometimes have crimson caps. It may be stated generally that some females have dark heads, more brow r n than red, and that a red-breasted female redpoll is uncommon.