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Sydney Porter—Notes on New Zealand Birds



Whilst in Stewart Island, Tuis often came and sang quite close to

me when sitting in the forest, sometimes within a foot or two of my

face. It is only when close to the bird that one hears the flow of soft

bubbling notes which are lost when one is a distance away. Though

there are many loud clear musical notes, they are not continuous

and the whole flow of melody is spoilt by the harsh coughing and

choking notes with which it intersperses its song.


In certain forested districts such as the remote Government reserves

the birds are comparatively numerous and when unmolested become

the most conspicuous birds about the district. They are always in

evidence, dashing about all over the place with a noisy, blustering

motion. The sound made by the wings when flying is remarkable

and resembles a loud rustling of silk, and it can be heard from a

considerable distance. Every few minutes as they move from tree to

tree they stop to utter a few melodious notes which, when heard from

several birds at once and in conjunction with the Bellbirds, make quite

an enchanting melody, but when heard singly the song lacks the

musical qualities generally attributed to it.


To question the Tuis’ musical powers ranks almost as blasphemy

in New Zealand. He calls his loudest in the very early mornings and

many times about dawn I have been awakened by an almost deafening

chorus of these birds, a rare thing in New Zealand in these days.


When seeking refuge from the angry seas in some of the quiet

inlets of Stewart Island, we heard the chorus of Bellbirds and Tuis

which floated over the still waters from the forests, such as Captain

Cook must have heard when he first anchored in some of the then

beautiful inlets on the coast of New Zealand and which he speaks

about in his journals.


A great deal of sentimental stuff is written about the Tui such as,

the following from a recent novel, “ There was a sudden whir of wings,

a flash of blue and white, and a Tui darted through the branches

up to the topmost twig of the tallest tree. Swaying gently, he droned

a few gutteral notes, then broke into a torrent of joyous song and as

though at a signal the forest woke to animation and music. A moment

of wild harmony and then as suddenly as it started the vocal melody

subsided.” I only quote this to show the traditional attitude towards









