Ninox novaeseelandiae ~ Ruru

[janice lodge]

One evening last week around 9pm (dusk) I was out walking along our driveway, dog in tow, when movement caught my eye and I looked up to see a morepork fly into a nearby kanuka. Within seconds another 2 morepork arrived and then a third!!

My understanding is that morepork are very territorial so I'm wondering if this would be a family group?

Last summer my husband and I saw a morepork sitting on a tree next to the driveway and another morepork, who was purched high up on another tree, dropped down with talons out and "bumped" the other morepork out of his tree.....so this makes me think the group I saw last week are a family group?

[Dave Houston]

Hmm, I don't know much about ruru behaviour, but as a near neighbour (across the water at Okura) I am surprised at the number of birds I hear at night.  Last night at least three birds were calling - most probably from the Okura Bush across the river.

[janice lodge]

We seem to have quite a few ruru on our bush property and they have been extremely vocal lately.....

[Bruce McKinlay]

You may wish to post this discussion here
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BIRDING-NZ/

which is a birders discussion group.

[janice lodge]

We found bird wings on the driveway underneath a big old kanuka which overhangs the drive. We think the wings were from a tui.

At first we thought there must be a cat getting the birds but now believe the old kanuka may be a feeding perch for Ruru. This particular kanuka is right where I spotted the 4 ruru.

Have since found the following which seems to support our thoughts that it was Ruru.......

http://www.notornis.org.nz/free_issues/Notornis_46-1999/Notornis_46_3_346.pdf

Moreporks left distinctive feeding sign; severing wing feather shafts and removed wing feathers from birds.

Source: Feeding sign of Moreporks (Ninox novaeseelandiae) on birds
KERRY BROWN, and DAVID MUDGE
31 Jollie Road, Twizel, New Zealand; 'McLeavey Road,
Ohau, RD 20, Levin, New Zealand