Sydney Porter—Notes on New Zealand Birds



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wings and the swiftness of the flight this bird moves with ease

through the dense forests.


I managed to secure a fine adult bird of this species and I was

struck by the large and beautiful eyes. It proved quite an

intelligent pet and stood the long journey home quite well. It

is now in the Zoological Gardens where I hope it will live many

years. While in my possession the bird fed mainly on sparrows;

mice and minced meat it would eat upon occasion but never unless

it was very hungry. This bird had a very loud cry, something

like the scream of a parrot, which it usually gave vent to when

hungry or excited.


The Kakapo or Owl Parrot (Strigops habroptilus)


This is one of the few endemic birds which I did not see,

though it was the one which I desired to see most of all. Had

I not been laid up for some weeks with a poisoned leg I should

have been able to have got into the “ Sounds ” district and

doubtless to Resolution Island where the bird is still said to be

found.


There is little doubt unfortunately that this bird, the largest

and most unique of all parrots is on the highroad to total

extinction. Ever since its discovery in 1843 the Kakapo has

been the object of ceaseless persecution on the part of collectors,

in fact so flooded has the market been with the skins of this bird

that the price quoted in a recent catalogue of bird skins was

only 7s. 6d. Nearly every museum in New Zealand possesses

dozens of skins, a large percentage of the population in the South

Island possess at least one stuffed specimen, I even heard of a

person who, when the Kakapo was fairly plentiful, fed them to

his dogs for meat! Prospectors, roadmen, and hunters were

responsible for the slaughter of thousands for food. When at

last the bird was protected, stoats, weasels, and cats helped to

finish the work of destruction. Now this strange parrot has

disappeared from all the districts where it was once plentiful.

In the North Island, where it was numerous in the heavily forested

mountain districts, it is practically gone, no single specimen being



