SOUTH ISLAND ROBIN

Marlborough Express, Volume LXXVI, Issue 250, 23 October 1942, Page 4

SOUTH ISLAND ROBIN

BROOD REARED IN AVIARY. RESEARCH STUDENT FINED. The South Island robin, one of the tamest and most lovable of New Zealand birds, and a great friend of the farmer — for he lives on grass grubs, woodlice, e'arwigs, and similar insect pests — is being cleaned out in many areas by the attacks of cats, stoats and other imported ground vermin. There were many in Marlborough at- one stage, but they are now somewhat rare. They are bright-eyed, happy little birds, the young male, with warm-coloured breast, having the appearance of a very young and lively Black Orpington chick. In order to learn something of their habits so that if possible they could be better protected, Mr W. D. F. King, of Gore, studied their habits and ultimately succeeded in breeding and rearing a brood in captivity? with the object of releasing them in vermin-free areas. He found that the female started incubating as soon as the first of the two eggs was laid. During the hatching period of 20 days the male fed the hen and when he thought she was off the nest too long he was very brisk and masterful with his beak in chasing her back. After hatching he pulverised the insect food before passing it on to the mother, but later they were given small quantities of "straight meat." The nest was built about five feet from the ground, and during the house-making period the gentleman merely sat on a bush whistling gaily while his better half. did the work.

The experiment was so successful that the bird-lover wrote to the Department, with the backing of Dunedin scientists, and offered to put up a bond of £500 to ensure that the work done should be of a scientific research nature and the grown birds released with no commercial side at all to the aviary. However, the Department of Internal Affairs did not favour this, and although the officials probably . did not know a robin from a riro-riro, a prosecution was ordered and the man who was doing his bit to increase the chances of the South Island robin's survival was fined £1 and ordered to release the birds. Something more tangible in the way of native bird protection in perpetuation certainly seems called for than the Department's present inaction — except when private individuals try to do a spot of protection. v