Publications Archive

Observations of eastern rosellas (Platycercus eximius) in the Wellington region were recorded during February 1994 to January 1997 by members of the Ornithological Society of New Zealand. Sixty-one percent of the 1227 sightings were made in 3 localities, Paraparaumu-Waikanae, Upper Hutt, and central Wellington. Most rosella sightings were in pastoral farmland (47%) and urban habitats, including parks, and golf courses (41%). Of the 400 sightings for which flock size was given, the mean was 3.6 rosellas, and flock size did not change significantly with season. Rosellas were seen feeding (n = 54) on buds and shoots (19%), flowers (5%), fruit (15%), and seeds (61%), with feeding on introduced plants making up 80% of the feeding observations.

The occurrence of musk ducks (Biziura) as fossils in New Zealand is reviewed and updated. Twenty-four bones from at least 7 individuals, and 67 elements from a single skeleton are known. Morphological differences between the fossils and the extant Australian B. lobata support continued distinction of the New Zealand form as the separate species B. delautouri.

Unusual bird records at the sub-antarctic Antipodes Islands from 1978 to 1995 increased the number of bird species recorded previously at the group by 15. The total avifauna now consists of 29 breeding species and 26 vagrant species.

Dispersal of adult Australasian shovelers Anas rhynchotis in New Zealand after being banded during their annual moult was determined from the locations at which they were shot by hunters. Birds banded at 2 southern South Island and 2 North Island sites between 1972 and 1986 dispersed the length and breadth of New Zealand. Some shoveler were recovered within 90 days of banding at opposite ends of the country from their banding sites. There was no obvious pattern to the recoveries. Birds were recovered from most of New Zealand’s large lowland and coastal wetlands except from West Coast, South Island. Modal recovery distances for shoveler banded at Lake Whangape, northern North Island, and recovered in their year of banding or in later years were 201-400 km. For shoveler banded in southern South Island, modal recovery distances were 0-100 km in the year-of-banding and 101-200 km in later years. Birds banded while moulting or breeding at or near the southern-most banding site were later recaptured moulting at the northern-most. Shoveler disperse more widely than other New Zealand waterfowl species and can be viewed as comprising a single national population.