Native Birds of Kaipara Harbour

Forest and Bird, Issue 92, 1 May 1949, Page 13

Native Birds of Kaipara Harbour

By

C. DEVONSHIRE

SOME of the smaller birds — grey warbler and morepork— very common and would be more so if the large number of wild cats could be reduced. The tui is fairly common in patches of bush of any size. They visit the school very occasionally in search of nectar from the kowhai. Kiwi and weka have not been seen for many years, though about three years ago I heard of a kiwi being killed by a mower while haymaking was in progress.

The pukeko and grey duck are fairly numerous. The hawk can often be seen; I have seen them find blackbirds’ nests in the manuka and eat the young, also chasing grey ducklings, which I don’t think they often catch.

Sea birds are numerous here. The blue heron can often be seen flying across the harbour. Black and a white-throated shag are to be seen any day. Pied oyster catchers and pied stilts inhabit the shores all the year, while the

godwit is often found in large numbers in the lower reaches of the harbour. Many are shot in spite of the fact that they are protected by law. Red-billed gulls and terns call with their raucous voices all day and sometimes at night.

One day I was chopping puriri wood which was full of termites! Afterwards I noticed the sparrows there, and upon investigating, found that they had eaten every termite exposed by the chopping. Not a single one remained.

In conclusion, I think that by judicious planting of native trees, tuis and other forest birds could be induced to stay, even if most of the remaining bush had been cut. Enough remains, however, for these birds to remain for all time if unmolested by man. I have been told of a yellow flowered rata on the reserve at Puke-Karoro hill. Does any member know definitely about this tree, and if it is any different from those at Otira, Westland?