Publications Archive

Eighty-six New Zealand dotterel (Charadrius obscurus) have been individually banded with metal and colour bands between 1950 and 1977 in the Auckland district. Subsequent sightings of banded birds show that some move considerably within a limited range and that others are fairly sedentary. The recovery history of the most interesting cases is given in outline. The oldest-known bird, a male, is over 26 years. A female was recorded breeding within her first year.

Seabirds seen during a yacht voyage from Auckland, New Zealand, to Lautoka, Fiji, between 30 April and 7 May 1977, and during the return voyage to Whangarei between 22 May and 1 June are listed. Field characters of Pterodromas and storm petrels are illustrated.

The present and past naturalized distribution of the red-vented bulbul, Pycnonotus cafer, in the Pacific is described. The species was first recorded in Fiji at the turn of the century and probably arrived with indentured Indian labour. Its restricted distribution in the Fiji lslands coincides with that of several weed species which constitute its main food supply and probably limit its spread.

By Ian Saem Majnep and Ralph Bulmer. Illustrations by Christopher Healey; published by Auckland University Press & Oxford University Press, 219 pp., 1977

Incubation temperatures of the North Island brown kiwi (Apteryx australis mantelli) were studied by telemetry methods. Using the equipment described, the temperature was found to be 37.0°C on the upper surface of the egg in contact with the male’s brood patch and 35.0°C at an approximate embryo depth within the egg. Using the temperatures obtained and to test the observation that the eggs are not turned, artificial incubation of a kiwi egg was successfully carried out.