IN TOUCH WITH NATURE

Hokitika Guardian, 19 January 1924, Page 4

IN TOUCH WITH NATURE

A MODEST SOUTH ISLAND BIRD. (By J. Drummond, F.L.S., F.Z.S. in Lyttelton Times). -V Greymoutli correspondent has sent a description of a .small South Island bird which is fairly plentiful at times in hush districts, hut which is seldom mentioned by observers. His description of ils plumage and habits, as far as he has noted them, shows that the bird is the brown creeper, a member of the same family as the white-head and the yellow-head. It is smaller than a sparrow. Its coat is a modest reddish-brown, and it wears a lighter vest, fawn-coloured, or. as the (Ireymnuih observer states. yellowishwhite. lie writes: "li is difficult for me io supply an aderjimte description, as this bird has a nondosorpt appearance:.'; that is, it has no striking colours. I shall begin by giving some of the points observed every time iL was seen by us. It always appears well a tray from settlement, and at a fair altitude, sa from 100?) to 2000 feet. It always is gregarious, ear'll flock having live or ■ i.\, up to about twelve, members. It has no song ot musical note; instead, a somewhat brush or uumolodious .sound, like that made by many

birds when they an- alarmed. I find i; 1 1 nnl in ;>ut the sound into words, hut it is not unlike “ehni-ehnl-fhnt,” repeated rpiickly. tline 1 fancied a resemblance to .siriditlnus notes uttered at: times by tlu> belibiid. With only e.ne oxeeptioii we have found it shy ami moving duickly, anil diliieult to ohserv-", particular!’.' ii: the winter, whieli cave nie an iniju c ssimi that it was hill a n. lit e. The eM i ptioli w;ei in the middle e! Deei liibe i, when if seemed lo be uiieuinniiinli lame, and ( anie nv'eahead to invo-l igale, nnu h a., the Inintit' does. This nave me my I only aneil ehame to note ils appearance.'' So little is know n of [lie brown ; eieeper thai any mlorniation as to itH habits will be aeeeplable. South Island observers who have opportunities to record notes on this bird should do so. As Sir Walter I’uller spent most ol liitinie in the .North Island, the blown creeper does not occupy much space in his history of New Zealand's birds, al though it is represented there on rt beautifully produced coloured plate, with its relative, and sometimes its unite, the yellow head, lie describes iit "diligently hunting for insects' j aa; o: i ■> t the hranelies and dense foliage jei the forest undergrowth.” When n lloek is di-turhed or alarmed, lie adds, j it.-- meinhei's (illicitly assemble and chirp j around the intruder lor a few minutes, but, on being reassured, disperse tie; ain ill search ol food. They seemed to him to prefer the outskirts of the hush jv. here iu-.eel life is more plentiful, bill lie also saw I hem in dense lnresls. Some years am' Ila y were not uncommon amongst, pine trees I lull fringe the .Malliuapun ('reek, near Hokitika, flocks limy be seen, doilbhlless, in I lie great Westland I'orr'ls, lan their modesty in dress and demeanour is ugainsi their being not"d. As they live almost exclusively on insects and grubs, Hicy should rank nimilist the useful naiive birds oi t hi , count ry. It is reperied that in Ole: very ■•were winter ibiikrf Iwown i reapers lei I tie- fore -a ami 11 ei|Ueiited sheep farms. Jlitling about the meni -ga.'lov.ami taking pieces oil' ' kins and bones of animals killed. The Heel.winch eonlaiu, scveial o'id white i :ev. spotted with grev and brown, is mad" of moss, nil ha few leal hers, and ha been foand about s.-veii left from lb. gn.-oiittt!. T):e bird va ■ known to South I land .Mamis. who knew if hv tk'-re t,:i|i|-s, piping pipn injli;: and i "Mon. !i ha- b-i-e .known o, oimth--1 deg is t - bn- a limit Ihe ■ saw ■ I .at lam nielli i -i". It, in a e ! bt-o-.-i ...j early > J- To a- .the Zealand titmouse ’ Ihin; .v-.a.rs tgo it was very plentiful eu Unul: I'eninatki. It is doubt!til •! r. :. ..eer. in any part ol' Canterbmy u-o" ! --i• o a.ited. it ! •should 111 a- pirn ft fa! ~ irt 11, Westland. also in pari ,-j N, !- n, i It,ago and s'milliland. It never has been recorded I nun tint North Island, even a- a straggler.