COVER PICTURE (From a Water-Colour by the late Miss L. A. Daff) TUI (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae)

Forest and Bird, Issue 106, 1 November 1952, Page 5

COVER PICTURE (From a Water-Colour by the late Miss L. A. Daff) TUI (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae)

On branch of fruiting poroporo (Solanum aviculare)

THIS is the gayest and most aggressive bird in the forest, noted throughout the land for its extreme rapidity of movement, the gloss and sheen of its plumage, the wild outburst of joyful notes, its general air of bustle, happiness, and gaiety. We know it as one of our main honey eaters. To enable it to collect the nectar from rata and kowhai and other honeyproducing flowers, its tongue is furnished at the tip with a brush of exquisite fineness. In the winter tuis may leave the bush and visit civilization to feed on the nectar provided by the tree lucerne and certain eucalypts which flower at this time. Then in early spring the kowhai groves are visited by flocks of them, the trees echoing with a continuous peal as the birds practise their acrobatics in obtaining the nectar from the pendulous flowers. Berries and insects,

many of the latter caught on the wing, supplement the diet. The varied notes of this, our most remarkable songster, continually break the stillness of the bush. Although thoroughly joyous only in the full glow of sunlight, it nevertheless sings earliest in the morning and latest at night of all the bush birds. It is remarkable for the variety of notes as well as the versatile manner of delivery. A medley of musical notes will intermingle with chucklings, clicks, and clucks; beautiful liquid sounds will be followed by a noise not unlike the breaking of a pane of glass or perhaps a series of gentle sobs; dainty whisper songs alternate with coughs and sneezes. After sunset the wild revelry ceases—until darkness sets in the song consists of a successsion of notes like the tolling of a distant bell.