The Pukeko, Acquitted in 1930, Should be Protected

Forest and Bird, Issue 40, 1 May 1936, Page 8

The Pukeko, Acquitted in 1930, Should be Protected

RESULTS OF FORMER RESEARCH REPEATED

Peace, —or Qun Fire?

FAIR PLAY is bonny play, and the pukeko is entitled to his full measure as a true New Zealander. He does a great deal of good, and is so trusting, so innocent and so ungainly in movement that nobody but a gun owner with a poor idea of sport would desire to shoot such a bird. The past practice was for the Minister to issue a special permit to any farmer who complained of damage being done by the pukeko. A full investigation of the food habits of the pukeko was made seven years ago. Yet, Acclimatisation

Societies have persuaded the Minister to declare a short season for pukeko! Hunters have suddenly professed a desire to aid farmers—a trick practised in other countries with the same object. It is not denied that the bird may at times do some little harm, but the damage is frequently grossly exaggerated.

Many farmers will resent the shooting of pukeko and order shootists off their properties. On a former occasion, one farmer was so incensed that he chased away shooters with an axe. In another district, Paraparaumu, an Acclimatisation Society member incurred much illwill by shooting pukeko which had been hand fed and cared for by some of the residents. School boys and others had become much attached to these birds.

It is conceded that the man on the land has to put up with much as the result of damage done by creatures imported to provide shooting, but the pukeko is indigenous and is accepted with the land, not thrust upon the farmer, who is usually well able to look after his interests. Most sportsmen would not cross the road to kill pukeko because they are after sport, not merely killing.

A stomach content survey was conducted by the Department in 1930, to ascertain whether the pukeko really did all the harm attributed to it by Acclimatisation Societies. Specimens were collected by Acclimatisation Societies from various districts and the examination was official.

No real sportsman would call pukekoshooting sport. What then, is the object? Upland game birds, such as pheasant and quail, are becoming a thing of the past, while waterfowl are also rapidly decreasing, so the shootist has to fall back on the humble pukeko! Alas! What degradation!

It will be noticed that three birds consumed some wheat in the autumn after all crops had been gathered. They must therefore, either have taken the grain from the stacks, or gleaned it. Otherwise the bill of fare was mostly macerated vegetation. It may be asked, “What is the use of spending money on research work if the results are ignored?”

Birds Taken and Date Taken Locality Stomach Contents Date Locality Stomach Contents MANAWATU 2 MANAWATU Swamp Macerated green material, mostly grass. 2 ' 6/1/29 6/1/29 » Macerated green vegetation, and seeds of Lolium perenne and buttercup. 4 19/2/29 19/2/29From swamp with crop of partridge From swamp with crop of partridge Lolium perenne and buttercup. Macerated vegetation, and seeds of Lolium peas in near vicinity Macerated vegetation, and seeds of Lolium perenne, Poa annua, Eleocharis ovata, Carex sp., and Glyceria fluitans.

Birds Taken Locality Stomach Contents and Date Locality Stomach Contents 2 21/5/29 Taken on crop of rape Macerated vegetation, fat-hen and sedgewecd. 2 29/5/29 From swamp area with crop of Macerated vegetation (grass) and duckweed. rape in near vicinity OTAGO Macerated vegetation (grass) and duckweed. 2Small roots and little macerated green material; 25/11/28 5/11/28From vicinity of cropping-areas From vicinity of cropping-areas Small roots and little macerated green material; also remains of insect-larvae and spider. 2 11/12/28 Macerated green material and seeds of Poa ” Macerated green material and seeds of Fort pratensis. 2 14/1/29 Macerated grass and part of an insect. 2 12/12/28 Macerated vegetation and clover-leaves; also ” ” ” ” Macerated vegetation and clover-leaves; also seeds of Eleocharis ovata. 2 9/2/29 Chewed up vegetation, and seeds of Eleocharis ” ” ” ” Chewed up vegetation, and seeds of Eleocharis ovata, Alopecurus geniculatus, and Poa annua 2 6/3/29 Swamp Macerated vegetation. 2 4/4/29 Few rush seeds and some rye. 2 18/3/29 2 1/5/29 Two miles from cropping-area Vegetation, few clover-leaves and rush seeds. 2 10/5/29 Berwick Macerated vegetation and large number of rushseeds. 2 13/6/29 At Lake Waipori Macerated vegetation and rushes; also rushseeds. 2 11/6/29 From vicinity of cropping-area Macerated vegetation only. 2 6/7/29 Near cropping-area Macerated vegetation and oats. 2(a) Macerated vegetation and crop half-full of 5/8/29 From cropping-area (a) Macerated vegetation and crop half-full of wheat; ( b ) macerated vegetation and one barley-grain. 2 5/8/29 From cropping-area : 1 6/7/29 Waipori Macerated swamp vegetation and rush-seeds. 2 16/8/29 Macerated black-swamp vegetation. SOUTHLAND Macerated black-swamp vegetation. 4Macerated vegetation (grass). 4Dec. and Dec. andFrom vicinity of cultivated land From vicinity of cultivated land Macerated vegetation (grass). 2 Jan. Ditto Shot in oat-paddock No oats found ; stalks and heads of weeds and other vegetation. 2 Ditto Twenty-five chains from nearest Macerated vegetation (mostly marsh-foxtail) ; crop Macerated vegetation (mostly marsh-foxtail) ; Alopecurus geniculatus. 2 18/4/29 From cultivated areas on plains Macerated vegetation (grass) and oat-seeds. 2 14/5/29 25/6/29Taken beside an oat-stack Macerated vegetation (grass). 2 25/6/29 Macerated vegetation; oat and rush seeds. 225/6/29 Taken beside an oat-stack Macerated vegetation (grass). 2 Macerated vegetation; oat and rush seeds. 225/6/29 From swamp, half a mile from cultivation Macerated vegetation; oat and toad-rush seeds. NORTH CANTERBURY Macerated vegetation; oat and toad-rush seeds. 2Macerated vegetation (grass) ; few clover223/4/29 23/4/29Alleged to be causing damage to Alleged to be causing damage to stacks Macerated vegetation (grass) ; few cloverleaves. 2 20/7/29 „ „ ,, „ Macerated grass and other vegetation.

THE ACQUITTAL!