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Sydney Porter—Notes on New Zealand Birds



within a few feet showing not the slightest fear. It is rather embarrass¬

ing and reminds me of going into an African village at the back of

beyond and becoming in time the centre of attraction to a crowd of

dusky youngsters who seem to have gathered from nowhere. The

birds watch every action and examine every article left lying about.

Sticks, cameras, glasses, coats, etc., come in for the closest scrutiny.

At first the birds touch each article very gingerly with the tip of their

beak, then they feel it with their tongue and when at last they feel

that it is safe it is dragged away and if possible destroyed.


A stranger they seem to recognize and crowd around, but the

ordinary people at one of the rest huts at Mount Cook they seem to

take little notice of. A new extension to the hut was being built and

the birds showed the greatest interest in the wood and tools which

were lying about. Everything unusual they examined with the greatest

interest. They would also come round and watch the workmen at

their various jobs.


A carrot is a great attraction to them and if cut into small pieces

will attract a crowd. If one throws the pieces towards the birds they

dodge as quick as lightning out of the way as though they expected a

stone or some other missile to be thrown, then they come up cautiously

and pick up the bits. Sometimes a bird will tolerate another quite

close to it and at other times they make furious digs at each other.

It is very amusing to watch a bird trying to push another away with

its foot, especially if it is trying to push it over the cliff. The one

on the defensive will hang on as long as possible until it is finally forced

to take flight. Sometimes a bird will trot up to another and affection¬

ately lay its head against the other’s.


I think the fascination of the Kea lies in the fact that it has such

a human element in its nature. I could have spent months watching

them and their curious habits. I often wondered whether, if only

their persecutors knew them as intimately as I did, they would have

the heart to massacre them as they do.


Thanks to the untiring efforts of the New Zealand Native Bird

Protection Society and a few other enlightened people, the Government

subsidy has been taken off the head of the Kea. At one time it

was Is. 6d., then it dropped to 5s., later to 2s. 6 d., and now it is

nothing at all.



