Publications Archive

Observations and motion pictures were made on New Zealand dabchicks in August and September 1969. Feeding, agonistic, courtship, and mating behaviour is described and compared with that of other grebes. The two principal courtship ceremonies are the Patter Ceremony and the Diving Ceremony. The former was observed frequently and is common after territorial encounters. The latter may be the ceremony of pair formation and like the former may be important in strengthening the pair bond. These ceremonies differ considerably from those of other grebes studied, but presumably resemble those of the related hoary-headed grebe Podiceps poliocephalus of Australia.

Colonies of the king shag Leucocarbo carunculatus carunculatus (Gmelin, 1789) were visited three times in 1964-65, Numbers are now about the same as when they were discovered in 1773 – two or three hundred birds – although more colonies are known. Since 1773, large fluctuations have probably occurred; heavy collecting by nineteenth century ornithologists, shooting for ladies’ muffs around 1900 and, more lately, misguided shooting to protect fisheries have all taken a toll. Details of nests and eggs are given. The species usually breeds once each year, in winter; but sometimes two cycles of breeding have been observed. The times of breeding vary from colony to colony and from year to year. King shags are easily disturbed at the breeding colony, possibly because of long persecution. Any further study of the birds themselves should be limited to regular, remote censusing only. Ecological work and banding on less vulnerable subspecies such as L. c. chalconotus should be done in the hope that the results will prove valid or helpful for conserving their rarer relatives.

The checklist of the birds in Niue Island, South Pacific (19°S. 169°W.), consists of 19 species (5 sea birds, 3 shore birds, and 11 land birds). Niuean and English vernacular names have been added. Five new bird species are now recorded from Niue Island for the first time. Of the five sea bird species two (common noddy and white tern) are known to breed on the island and a third (white-tailed tropic bird) possibly breeds and three species (white-tailed tropic bird, common noddy and white tern) are common. All three shore bird species are migrants but only one (Pacific golden plover) is common. Among the land birds the presence of the migratory long-tailed cuckoo is recorded for the first time and all the remaining ten species are resident and breeding. However, only four species (banded rail, white-rumped swiftlet, Polynesian triller and Polynesian starling) are common. The affinities of this restricted avifauna with those of the neighbouring archipelagos of Samoa, Tonga and the Cook Islands are briefly discussed as are the abundance and the status of the birds breeding on Niue. Finally some research problems and the conservation of species that are at present endangered are briefly presented and some tentative recommendations are made.

The social behaviour of the aberrant blue duck is reviewed. The bird is territorial and aggressive, except towards its own mate and offspring. The male’s territorial call – a loud whistle delivered in 3 special posture – appears to be the main signal keeping pairs apart, but fights do occur, and a pronounced carpal knob on the wing is used in attack. As the blue duck appears to pair for life, courtship is not easily observed. Repeated acts of copulation, early in the breeding season, probably serve to synchronise the reproductive states of the pair. Copulatory display and the pre-flight signal have elements similar to those of perching and dabbling ducks.

Both adults care for the young, although this may not involve more than keeping them together since anti-predator behaviour is not conspicuous. Family life seems to continue until adult plumage is attained at five months, at which time young birds probably leave their parents territory.

Ectoparasitic insects of birds and mammals of Raoul and Meyer Islands, Kermadec Islands, are recorded. Included are 52 Phthiraptera, 4 Diptera and 4 Siphonaptera, of which 40 Phthiraptera, 2 Diptera (Stomoxys calcitrans and Ornithoica exilis) and 1 Siphonapteron are new records for the islands. A simple key to the main groups of ectoparasites is given. Attention is drawn to the need for quarantine measures to prevent introductions of further pest species to the islands.

During 1969, 1,665 miles of coast were patrolled by 99 members of O.S.N.Z. and 2,534 dead seabirds were found. No species was exceptionally abundant but there was a high proportion of albatrosses relative to other years The rarest specimens were an oriental cuckoo Cuculus saturatus horsfieldi and an Arctic tern Sterna paradisaea.