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Seasonal movements and population of the southern crested grebe in Canterbury

Notornis, 29 (2), 143-149

P.M. Sagar; C.F.J. O'Donnell (1982)

Article Type: Paper

A summer and a winter survey of the distribution and numbers of the southern crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus australis) were carried out in Canterbury during 1980-81. Grebes stayed on the alpine and subalpine lakes throughout the year. In summer grebes moved from lake to lake within a lake system, but during the winter they were concentrated on fewer lakes and some moved between lake systems. These observations are compared with those of the southern crested grebe in Australia and the great crested grebe (P. cristatus cristatus) in Europe. Breeding season counts of the Ashburton lakes and the Alexandrina group during 1978-1981 indicate that the crested grebe population in Canterbury is stable after a possible increase during the 1970s.


Wekas swimming

Notornis, 28 (1), 28

A. Wright (1981)

Article Type: Short Note






Reischek’s 1890 paper on ‘The kakapo (Strigops habroptilus) in the wild and in captivity’

Notornis, 28 (4), 263-280

K.E. Westerskov (1981)

Article Type: Paper

During his stay in New Zealand, 1877-1889, the Austrian naturalist Andreas Reischek studied, collected and kept in captivity kakapo (Strigops habroptilus). In addition to mention of kakapo in papers in English, Reischek after his return to Austria in 1890 published a paper on the species in German, consolidating his experience and presenting new facts. A close and full translation of the paper is presented, together with notes and comments. The main sections discuss: unsociability, irregular breeding years, nesting, feeding behaviour, an alpine variety, winter ecology, parasites, plumage, trapping, offer of trapping kakapo for Little Barrier, kakapo in captivity.



The phylogenetic relationship within the Galliformes indicated by their lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera)

Notornis, 28 (3), 161-167

P.R. Kettle (1981)

Article Type: Paper

A consideration of the distribution of the various genera of Phthiraptera occurring on Galliformes suggests that, while Megapodidae, Cracidae, Tetraonidae, Phasianidae, Numididae and Meleagrididae form a natural group of related hosts, Opisthocomidae, Tinamidae, Turnicidae and Pedionomidae do not fall within the same host group. Evidence also suggests that Galliformes is more closely related to Columbiformes than is generally accepted.