The pros and cons of starlings were a hot topic back in the day. Photo / Alan Gibson
Kem Ormond takes a look at the world of farming back in the day.
It seems starlings in 1930s New Zealand were a busy bunch of birds.
When they weren’t stealing out of mailboxes, they were fighting with hawks.
However, they did have a good side.
When it came to grass grub control, they devoured them as fast as you looked at them.
According to the Levin Chronicle, in September 1932, they became the farmers’ friend, with one farmer even building special breeding boxes for them.
Fruit growers’ views
Prize for starling’s eggs
Gisborne Times, September 16, 1922
The question of the destruction of small birds inimical to fruit-growers was discussed at a meeting of the P.B. Fruitgrowers’ Association yesterday, when Mr. W. Lloyd-Williams presided over a good attendance.
Mr. Davey, Government Fruit Expert, reported concerning the result of his representations to the Farmers’ Union on this matter at its last meeting.
He outlined the points on which they were in agreement, but said that farmers were not prepared to associate themselves with the destruction of starlings, which they said were useful in keeping down the grass grub.
One member raised the point as to whether it was possible to destroy starlings, as he was always under the impression that they were protected by law.
Mr. Williams said that starlings were perhaps the most destructive birds with which fruitgrowers had to contend.
To pear-growers they were worse than either the black bird or minahs.
They were so numerous, too, that one year’s collecting of eggs would make no appreciable reduction in their numbers, or greatly affect their power to check the grass grub.
Still, he thought that perhaps in this matter they should meet the Farmers’ Union, and for this year, at any rate, leave starlings off the list. Air.
Mr. Davey said that the farmers had not raised any objection or brought pressure to bear to get the starling! left out.
They only objected to be associated with its destruction.
They could co-operate with the Union in the destruction of the sparrow, minah, and yellow-hammer, and offer a special prize on their own account for starlings.
Mr. Williams was still dubious about the inclusion of the starlings, lest they should be running counter to the Farmers’ Union.
Mr. Davey: But there is no question of opposing the Union. They are quite willing to let us go ahead with our own scheme. At the meeting where we discussed the matter, I made a big point of the destructive propensities of starlings and it would be inconsistent now to drop the matter as one of no importance.
Mr. Bayliss considered that thrushes should also be included as, in his opinion, they did almost as much damage as any of the other birds.
After further discussion it was decided that a special prize of one guinea should be offered for the best collection of starlings’ eggs.
Incident near Auckland
Patea Mail, May 12, 1930
A fight between a flock of starlings and a hawk was witnessed over “Camp Farm,” Otahuhu, near Auckland, recently.
The swarm of starlings must have numbered thousands, and they manoeuvred with a precision that seemed uncanny.
The hawk was able to keep the smaller birds at a distance for a while, but when it attempted to break away the starlings would head it off.
As the bigger bird began to weaken, the starling picked up courage and appeared to be picking it to pieces.
As a last resort, the hawk tried to fly high, but the weight of numbers began to tell, and after a fine rally, the hawk’s body was seen to drop toward the earth with the victorious starlings in hot pursuit.
During the contest, a smaller flock of starlings hovered near, but took no part in the fight.
Theft from boxes
Genuine proof alleged.
Northern Advocate, October 11, 1932
Recently a paragraph appeared in the “Matamata Record” noting the fact that bobby calf money had been taken from letter boxes in which it had been deposited by buyers.
Commenting on this, an experienced farmer related to a “Record” representative that it was very likely that starlings were the culprits, in that they had a habit of flying to letterboxes and taking anything handy from the receptacles.
He related an instance of how a drover one day noticed a starling fly from a box with something white from its beak, which the bird dropped across the road by the opposite fence-line.
Going over out of curiosity to see what it was, the drover found it was a docket wrapped round a few shillings.
He at once took the money and docket to the farmer from whose box it was taken and explained the circumstances.
When the matter was referred to an experienced calf-buyer he at once confirmed the statement made, and remarked that much trouble had been caused by moneys disappearing, and eventually the thefts were traced to starlings.
On one occasion a sum of 6/ in silver, which had been wrapped in paper, was recovered after being dropped by a starling.
The result was that now, when leaving money for farmers, he always either deposited the cash in an empty tobacco tin, or else put it in the cream can.
Since adopting this procedure there had been no complaints.
War on White Butterfly
Tikokino’s experience
Hawke’s Bay Tribune, January 6, 1937.
“Were it not for the starlings the farmers of the Tikokino district would not be able to grow crops of turnips, rape or Chou Mollier,” said a Tikokino man to a “Tribune” representative who was in that district recently.
Continuing, he said that flocks of countless thousands of starlings “camped” in the district and during the day visited the green crops in search of the white butterfly caterpillar.
According to the informant, the birds settle down on a crop and go through it systematically and thoroughly.
The word “system” in this instance means all that it implies, because the starlings work in such fashion that those in front who are getting the best of the picking remain in that favoured position for a short period only.
After they have been in the front row for a certain time they gave way to those immediately behind.
This process is repeated until those that were last are first.
After the starlings have been through a crop the number of caterpillars left is negligible.
- Source: Papers Past
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