240 A. F. Moody—Birds at Lilford


THE BIRDS AT LILFORD


By A. F. Moody


A few notes in general about the birds at Lilford during the

past two years may possibly be of interest. The collection, of course,

has had its losses, but as these have not been considerable, by adding

and breeding we still have some interesting birds.


Season 1932 passed much as usual; Eagle Owl, Laughing

Kingfisher, Peacock Pheasant, Javan Jungle Fowl, and certain

others reared their young. Duck of various kinds nested, our best

results probably in this direction, as in 1933, being the rearing

of a small brood of Black-billed Tree Duck (D. arborea). A pair

of these, during the late summer of both seasons, nested in a hollow

log about 2 feet from the ground. Incubation, taken part in by both

male and female, lasted in each instance a remarkably long time—

thirty-five days. The young, on hatching, took to the water at once

and, assisted by both parents, were successfully reared after being

walked into a pool aviary. In the down, these youngsters, being

long in the leg and possessed of a young plover-like carriage,

differed considerably of course from the young of the true ducks.

Their colouring was black and white, a loud check of almost

draught-board regularity. They feathered at an early age, and

when full grown differed chiefly from their parents by the white

centre stripes of the long flank feathers being narrower.


As regards additions, w r e have concentrated on quality rather

than quantity; the most interesting birds acquired being a beautiful

pair of Donaldson’s Touracous, and some of the more uncommon

Curassows, Lesser Razor-bill, Slater’s, etc. One curiosity received

some time ago is a Boat-bill (Canchroma cochlearia), a stork-like

little Heron with an asinine expression and an ungainly bill.


The Raptors have been enriched by a beautiful Snowy Owl; the

waterfowl by Eyton’s Tree-duck (D. eytoni), Versicolor Teal (A.

versicolor ), and three red South American Shovelers (S. platalea ).

Thanks also to the generosity of an aviculturist, Mr. Ronald Stevens,

recently returned from South Africa, our solitary male Red-billed

Pintail has now the companionship of others of its kind.



