HUIAS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 174, 24 July 1929, Page 12

HUIAS

(By “Taipo. ”) (Exclusive to “Chronicle.”) Huias have been reported, again east of Mangaweka and a recent issue of the “Chronicle” records the experiences of Mr Gregor McGregor in hunting for traces of the birds in 1909. They were still fairly numerous in 1904, as will be seen from the following account, and it seems that the expedition quoted was unfortunate in searching too far north.

In 1904 I was on n survey party cutting up a portion of the Awitrua Block lying due east ot Utiku, a township on the Main Trunk about six miles south of Taihape. Our job was bounded on the west by the Rangitikei River and extended up stream from the Omatane clearing —from the Makopua Stream to be exact, but the clearing is a wellknown landmark—as far us the Mangatera Stream mentioned by Mr McGregor. Our extreme eastern boundary ran by Colenso trig, high up on the Mokai Batea, the clear tussock ridge by which Colenso crossed from Hawke's Bay long ago. I think that Mr McGregor missed when he dropped off Colenso’s old trail into the Mangatcra, going northeast. Had he come westward and followed the run of the country down towards Omatane, he would have traversed bush that certainly held huias a very few years before his visit. Our main camp on that survey was pitched in the bush at the northern end of the Omatane clearing and from there we cut the usual surveyor’s swagging track in towards the ranges. We neither saw nor heard huias during the height of the summer, but early in March we came across three birds right on the track, within a mile and a-half of the Rangitikei River. They were all on tho ground, scratching and pecking at some rotten wood and emitting low notes, much as a hen clucks when scratching for food. They made no move to fly away, even when four of us stood within five yards of them. A rotten stick thrown down beside them only made them jump away about a yard. More pressing overtures caused them, to nin and flutter a few feet at a time, always keeping well clear of us, but never showing any signs of panic. They finally worked downhill into thicker growth and we left them to it. Wo saw many later. They were birds of most striking appearance, their jet black plumage being of fine, almost silky texture, with a regular sheen on it. As they moved about they regularly flirted their beautiful long tail feathers, tipped with an inch or so of vivid white, much as a fan is flicked open and shut. Their long legs were yellowish in colour and very strong. On open birch trees they often jumped upwards from limb to limb, a yard at a time, working right up into the tree at a great pace and without pause. A vivid yellow wattle on each side at the base of the beak well set off that striking item in their equipment. The male beak differed only in size and strength from that of most other birds, but the female was armed with a slender curved shining white weapon about 3 inches long. Its obvious purpose when one saw them in action was to penetrate holes in rotten trees or logs in search of food. The male could rip bark and rotten pieces off a dead tree so fast that we often heard the noise in the bush on a calm day, and went .10 chains or more before coming upon them.

In May and June of 1904 we were in flying camps well up among the birches and hardly a day passed without seeing one or more birds, while we heard them constantly. They give a long piping call with a tremulous warble at the end of it, not difficult to imitate. Had Mr McGregor been among them he would not have needed any expert Maori such a? he mentions. A young German bushman from Rangiwahia who had known the bird’s call from childhood was the best whistler we had, but any of us could bring them on occasion and often did so when we had the necessary spare time to stay awhile in one place. I have brought a bird right across a deep bush gully probably 30 chains or more. A bird being thus attracted never came direct to the call, but approached by easy stages, calling and waiting for a reply before advancing further. We saw most birds in the birch foothills between the head of the Makopua 1 Stream and the head of the Kawhatau Biver, due west of Colenso trig. They appeared to become more numerous there as winter drew on, and when snow was about, they kept very low down in the trees. During the whole time we were there, another party, working at the northern end of the block, saw practically no birds at all. A large number of huias were caught by Maoris just before the visit of the present King in 1901. The feathers were largely in evidence at the big hui held in Rotorua on that occasion. Whefre the bush, has not been felled right up to the ranges, there may well be birds yet in the country I have been describing.