Wekas and Weasels.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20282, 17 April 1934, Page 8

Wekas and Weasels.

Nature Notes

By

James Drummond,

F.L.S., F.Z.S.

W- KAS enliven mining camps near Oollingwrood. There, as elsewhere, they are the most popular birds. They are looked upon as camp-followers, bright and cheerful, sometimes mischievous, but well loved for their happy and friendly dispositions. Stoats and weasels are their worst enemies, but they are not always defeated by these cunning and savage creatures. A fight between a weka and a fully-grown weasel was long and bitter, and the result was in doubt at times, but it ended by the weka slaying the weasel. Sir Thomas Mackenzie first drew attention about twenty-eight years ago to wekas’ ability to hold their own against weasels. At the time it was felt that his admiration for wekas had led him to exaggerate their courage and spirit. Evidence has been produced that they will not refuse a weasel’s challenge. They are not always the victors, but, whether victorious or defeated, they give weasels serious trouble. This is the disposition of the common South Island wekas, characterised by boundless courage that few other birds possess. North Island wekas are timid, shy and retiring. They are compensated for this by remarkable quickness of foot. Sir Walter Buller’s experience with North Island wekas was that they were so shy that they could not be found without the help of a good dog. A few weeks ago. Mr T. Higgs, a Marlborough bushman, commented on this difference in the two species of wekas. lie was surprised at the shyness of Tolaga Bay wekas, very much unlike Marlborough wekas he met in his camps.