NATIVE BIRDS.

Shannon News, 19 April 1929, Page 3

NATIVE BIRDS.

MANY IN RANGITIKEI. Genera' pleasure- .-Mid a degree of surprise thr.t native l.ircfs should be so plentiful in parts of the district were express,?-:! by members of the Wellington Atcltnuiti.:ati<.ii Society last week when the following report was read from Mr T. 'Andrews, the ranger in the Manawatu circuit:—

"While ' ranging the upper reaches of the Rangitikei" River 1 was amazed at the nrr.;':r-r a:;d variety "of native birds to be ?een. We camped by a block of liuii comprising about 3000 was to be seen. Ti'.is v*ere there, but black and brown biiv.h, with an occasional totara. The bell-birds were literally in their thousands. Whiteheads, rifleman wren, and white-eye were also numerous. Tomtits were in fair numbers and an occasional pied fantail was to be p-?en. Tuits were there, but were not pbntiful. The harrier hawk, the sparrow hawk, arid another hawk that was strange to me were observed. This strange' hawk was smaller than the harrier, and appeared to have no fear, allowing me to approach within four or five yards of it. Two kaka put in an appearance' about dusk, but they were the only ones seen. At night, woodben and morepork were to be heard.on all sides, and appeared to be very numerous. .Kiwi were heard calling, but they did not appear to be plentiful. To hear the belbbirds calling was indeed most beautiful. I cannot understand how aieh a variety of birds find substance in such unpromising surroundings as birch forest." The secretary (Mr C. I. Dasent) said that he had bean told by people living at Eastborne, Wellington, that they had never known native birds so plentiful. Mr Tripp, who presided, 3aid that he had quite recently gone through the tunnel a,'; Wainui, and had seen numbers of pigeoi.s and, white-eyes. He had long advocated the planting of flowering and berry-producing trees so as to increase the food supply for native birds. It would soon be the planting season, and he urged anyone considering planting to remomber the birds and plant some trees as a food supply ; for them. He had often noticed pigeons in Canterbury eating laurel berries and laburnum leaves and the bellbirds feeding on the honey en the eucalyptus trees. The planting of such trees meant that the birds were attracted nearer the homesteads or houses and had a much •better chance of surviving, because the nearer civilisation they were the better dogs and cats kept down or frightened away their great enemies, soats, weasels, and rats. He had a list of suitable exotic trees prepared .by the late Mr T. W. Adams, of Greendale, Canterbury, but it was important that they should also plant native flowering or berry-producing trees. He had been going into the question with Mr Andersen, of the Turnbull Library, who was a leading authority on birds, and, with the curator of Kapiti Island, Mr Wilkinson, was preparing a list of trees which should be planted. He hoped to have the list printed and published.