NATURE NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 150, 21 December 1929, Page 19

NATURE NOTES

(By E. H. D. SHdolph, R.A.0.U.)

BIRD IMPORTATIONS

PIGEONS, DOVES, & WADEftS

Sixteen species of pigeons .or doves have been introduced, into" Neiv:!Zealand for acclimatisation purposes since the early days, but only.one caii.be regarded as having established itself— the rock dove. This bird hasi really; become a wild bird in the Dominion, from stock which has escapied from pigeon fanciers, as there is apparently; no record of any liberations being ma'da by acclimatisation societies.": In. any; ease, the wild rock dove present in. this country has many traces of man-made* varieties, although in some cases it has reverted almost to the true typebf the species. According to the Hpni G/ M. Thomson, this pigeon is" plentiful near Skippers, on the Eock and Piljar range, in South Otago, in the Duntropn. district, and on the cliffs at Napier. It is probably. distributed elseyrijere throughout the Dominion, at least' in, the ■ WairaTapa,' ■ frequenting :; areas of native bush in settled districts.- The well-known ring dove,-a, familiar:Tiird in aviaries, has also-become-wild in. Ghristchurcli and Danediu/but its hold is apparently a somewhat precarious one. The first' pair was introduced iv 1866, but beyond the Kelson Acclimatisation' Society receiving five- birds of this species in 1867 no serious attempt to acclimatise the ring dove appears to have been made, the importatipns'being made by private individuals. In the case of eight species of pigeons and doves brought into New Zealand Were is considerable doubt to-the'actual ' species of-' birds coneerhed;v; Birds termed as the turtle do.ve^'JNeTt Caledonian green dove,. SolomonVlslaiidK>pigeon, Indian dove, Queensland"-dave, Indian pigeon, Java dove, Moretbi Bay dove, and Cape dove were all imported in small numbers, mostly in the later 'sixties. In any ease all these attempts failed, as was only■ to be expected, as insufficient birds were turned out. ■ . ■'':',:... Among the more serio.us, attempts, at acclimatisation were Several 'beautiful species of.Australian pigeoiis. The crested pigeon^ which inhabits';. Austra- ■ lia generally, and has lengthened crest plumes,of black, was liberated intlß7S and 1877 by the Wellington Acclimatisation Society, and although, seen . >for some time eventually disappeared. Further attempts made by.'.the Canterbury; Acclimatisation Society .and' the Auckland Society in 1883 and 1887 respectively also failed. - The handsome bronze-wing pigeon of'"Australia, Snd Tasmania was 'first introduced'ill 1864, and in subsequent years many others were liberated in different parts of the country. Apparently the-* first • importations were liberated in the South: island, and in 1883 the birds were reported as having been seen at a. considerable, distance from where they 'were turned put. Hbw/eyer, this-..desirable • bird failed to accommodate itselfi- Another pigeon closely related to the bronze-wing, known as itfie flock pigeon, a terrestrial species, laying its eggs on the bare ground, was imported in. 1869,. but there is no further record of the two birds received. The attractive variegated, wonga-wongi pigeon of Queensland, New. South' Wales, and Victoria was first brought' into New Zealand in 1864 by the Canterbury Acclimatisation ■" Society. Other importations were made by the Auckland, Otago, and Wellington societies. The last-nanied body •■ introduced . twelve birds in 1875 and a:further 22 the following year. These were seen for a considerable time,-and were 'reported from Wainui-o-mata, but ultimately; they, disappeared. Twopairs of .yet another Australian pigeon, . kiown as the partridge pigeon, were received by. the Canterbury Acclimatisatibi£ Society in 1866, buttheK is'no record of their liberation. This;is;a-nother gfdiind frequenting species, '..tire nest being merely a slight hollow on the ground, in which the two white eggs are placed. . . . ... , The Australian.coot, a bird.somewhat fike the pukoko in general, appearance, was introduced by the Auckland^Acclimatisation Society, '.iit.1869, ?but .if'is not known what became of them1.-. This bird has occurred tHyo or three..times as an accidental visitor.to New Zealand. ■ Although the .land Vail-is a-na-tive species the Otago Acclimatisation Society w;ent to the trouble to import a pair in 1867, "but again there is no . record of their liberation. - Similarly, in spite of the fact that ..the "golden plover' occurs as an annual visitor tO this country an attempt.wasTiriade in 1875 and 18.77,. and lately :>it-.'1897, to acclimatise a cioselytreiatedjspecies of golden plover. In 'ahy>.case,:3S;th'is bird is strictly migratory, the.wisdom of the attempt is most questionable. ■'.'" A bird known as the grey plover, another wader bearing a resemblance to thegolden plover, was also brought out to New Zealand, the Otago Society liberating two in 1867 arid eight iii 1881, but these failed to establish themselves. The Australian curlew, a bird which has occurred accidentally; in New Zealand, on several occasions, was imported in 1868, but there is ifo record of its liberation. The sarid; grouse and the pin-tailed sand grouse, birds of parts of Asia, Africa, and Europe, were_ imported, eight of the- pin-tailed species being liberated in 1882 on the Kock and Pillar Eange, Otago. A-niore ? serious attempt at acclimatisation was made with the well-known lapwing, or peewit, of the British Isles'. The lengthened feathers on the back of its head, forming a eiest, at-once distinguish it from every other British wader. It is said to : have a: peculiar flight, consisting of a series of wide slow flappings with its singularly; - rounded wings, -which furnishes %character by which it may be recognised at a great. distance. . Its strange; note, said to resemble the word "pe'weet," uttered in. a high screaming-: tone,"«an-not-be mistaken. The peewit isfound in most parts of Europe and Asia from Ireland to Japan. The first ..attempt to acclimatise the bird in: New" Zealand" was made by the Auckland' Acclimatisation Society in 1872, jwhe'n 36 were liberated, but nothing further- was ieard about them, although it.wasrepbrted that some had been'turned: out..;two years previously. ..The jCanterbiiry Society liberated nine in -1873: .and the Otago ~ Society - five in- 1897.- ' Eight birds arrived in'Dunedin:in 1900. The largest importation was made" m ISOi, when the Government brought out a fairly large shipment.. -.The.Wellington Acclimatisation Society liberated 35 of this batch and the Westland Society, turned out thirty-in-the Upper Kokatahi district. , James Diammohd reported in, 1907 that :the -lipwijig was present in several /-northern but two years later the' Auckland Society stated, that the bifds'had disappeared. ' •: •■'■ ■ ■':