KNIGHT IN FEATHERS

Hokitika Guardian, 17 January 1925, Page 1

KNIGHT IN FEATHERS

(Hy Oliver G. Pike, F.Z.S., F.Ii.P.S., in “ Daily -Mail”). There is not much sympathy to he lound in wild nature. .If a bird meets "’ith a mishap it is usually left to get over it without any assistance from its companions. When a bird is taken ill and expects to die you will not find its mate standing by to console with it, hut the suffering creature will just slink away to a place of hiding in

".'lnch to meet the end, while the bird which is left will very soon seek a new companion. Hut i have come across

a lew instances where sympathy was shown. \\ him lords are mated after a short courtship, the male is most attentive to his newly won wife, and will almost starve himself to offer titbits to her. The beautiful male bullfinch is one of the best ol husbands. A pair of these birds attempted to nest in my garden last spring. The first nest came to an untimely end and a second was built. When this contained young almost ready to fly, I heard the two parents calling out in great distress. I hurriedly climbed up the steep hank (leading to the nest in a thick hedge, but 1 was too late, for a stoat dashed from the nest and disappeared in the thick undergrowth. Three of the young had boon eaten, while the fourth was dead outside the nest.

For days afterwards the hen bullfinch sat on twigs in the garden looking most disconsolate, and it was rather beautiful io see the male offer her choice morsels, which he continually searched for. It seemed as if he was doing his best to cheer her, and it gave me much pleasure when I found out that he had succeeded. For at the end of a week they began a third nest, and with this they were successful in rearing a third family. It is only natural, however, for a bird to assist its mate during the time of courtship. It is in the winter mouths, when each bird has to light its own battle in the grim search for food, that sympathy is rare. I have known only one instance of this. In my garden there was a large dog kennel with a flat roof. During the winter months the table-like top was utilised as a larder for birds. Many kinds visited us, and it was seldom that the table was unoccupied. One

morning a new visitor appeared, and she was a cripple. This great tit had one log missing, and she had great trouble in balancing her body as she picked up food. The sparrows for some reason, objected to Hie presence of tin’s injured bird, and drove her off. She made many attempts to obtain a meal, but the others prevented her. The next morning she brought wilh her another great lit, and again the sparrows tried to drive her away. In a Hash the second great tit set about them, longht the whole Hock, and kept the hoard clear while the crippled bird enjoyed a good meal. On each succeeding visit this birdlaml knight accompanied her. and such respect did the sparrows have for his, lighting powers that she afterwards secured her food in peace.