Harrier and Poultry

Forest and Bird, Issue 107, 1 February 1953, Page 10

Harrier and Poultry

FT'OLLOWING Mr. Poole’s article ‘Tn Defence of the Harrier” in our last issue, 1 / Mrs. L. V. Creswell, of Tokomaru Bay, writes the following, which we publish* with Dr. Falla’s comments.. It gives another aspect of Kahu’s activities.

“I was interested in the item “Harrier Versus Rabbit” in the August 1951 “Forest and Bird” (Along the Track). This brought to mind a similar experience which occurred at our home a few years ago. There was a difference, though, as the prey happened to be our white fowls and ducks. For some reason the hawks seemed to fancy the white fowls as the black ones escaped without injury. At first we could not understand why there was a hen missing when we fed them some nights, until one day two were discovered in a stony creek some distance from the house (which proves that the hawk likes a hard surface on which to drop and stun his prey). Then one day the hens began cackling soon after I had let them out for a run, and I saw a hawk circling round. It kept circling for quite a few minutes but I could not see ■ what the attraction was as there was a small hill between us, but guessed by the disturbed cackles that something was wrong. I rushed to the place just in time to see the hawk fly up with a large white duck, carry it a short distance and drop it again, as it was obviously too heavy to be carried right away when I approached. The duck was still alive, but quite dazed and kept turning its head round first in one direction and then in the opposite. It was obviously quite giddy with watching the hawk’s circling—a very cunning trick to confuse the bird

before attacking it. The duck died soon after as its body was blue with bruises and many bones had been broken by its fall.

“This was a harrier hawk, but the sparrow hawks also attack . chickens, and grown fowls if they are sick or injured, although their methods seem to be by swooping continuously and pecking to kill.”

This was referred to Dr. Falla, who states that it is a most interesting account of possible, in fact probable, dazing action by a harrier (Kahu) on its prey.. Members will recall that Mr. Wyness-Mitchell in his account of a harrier catching a rabbit (quoted by Mrs. Creswell above) stated that the harrier flew in such a way that its shadow kept in front of its prey. In the case above however, the possibility that the duck’s actions were caused by the shock of his fall cannot be ruled out, and so definite proof of intention cannot be claimed.

Again, the so-called sparrowhawk, more properly bush hawk or bush falcon (Karearea) is an exceptionally fearless bird, smaller than the harrier. It would certainly not resort to killing its prey with a number of pecks, unless possibly it was a very young and inexperienced bird. Possibly on the occasion Mrs. Creswell mentions, the prey was in a confined space in which the falcon could not dispatch it in one clean strike.