Publications Archive

Movements, numbers and foods of keas are recorded from observations from June 1964 – July 1966 at Cupola Basin, and August–September 1965 and 1966 at Mt. Robert. Of 35 keas captured (24 at Cupola Basin, 11 at Mt. Robert), only six birds resident in Cupola Basin were frequently recovered; all others were seen only occasionally, or not at all. Banded birds dispersed up to 12.5 miles from Cupola Basin. At Cupola Basin keas were seen between 2,500 and 7,000 ft. altitude, most frequently at 4,000–4,500 ft. Seasonal movements were related mainly to snow and availability of food. Forty-seven different items of food were seen being eaten. The fruits of Coprosma pseudocuneata were the commonest food taken. Voided seeds of five fruiting species germinated after being covered with soil, showing that keas disperse some alpine plants.

During 1968, 65 members of the O.S.N.Z. patrolled a total of 1,188 miles of coast and found 4,716 dead seabirds of 49 species. A unique factor was the tropical cyclone in April, the effects of which around southern coasts of the North Island have been described elsewhere. There was an unusually protracted period of strong westerly winds from mid-September to end of November which was accompanied by an extensive wreck of short-tailed shearwaters Puffinus tenuirostris and several other species. Excluding April specimens, unusual birds were three storm-petrels (Wilson’s, Oceanites oceanicus; grey-backed, Garrodia nereis; black-bellied, Fregetta tropica), a sooty tern Sterna fuscata and two spine-tailed swifts Chaetura caudacuta.

This article is an account of the first recorded rooks in the Waiuku area, their recorded sightings and nestings over the past five years. The arrival of two at first and the appearance of a third bird after four years of their establishment.

The habitat and the history of the distribution and status of the orange-fronted parakeet Cyanoramphus malherbi have been appraised. Never common, it occurred in most districts of the South Island and Stewart Island and, now rare, it seems confined to mid- and north-west Nelson. It favours forest at about 2,000– 2,500 feet above sea level but has been reported from higher altitudes.

A new woodhen, smaller than Gallirallus minor (Hamilton) is described.