Die Muttonbird Islands

Abstract

A number of islands off Stewart Island, New Zealand, is conveniently termed Muttonbird Islands, as the mutton bird, Puffinus griseus, has the habit to nest and hatch there. The bird requires a peaty soil to dig the burrows, in which it nests and hatches the young. Puffinus griseus is a migrant; every year in October and November the bird returns to those islets in millions. The young ones are well fed by April, when the parent birds are leaving for the North and the season, the Muttonbirding of the Maoris of Foveaux Strait, is on. Equally interesting to the ornithologist, the plantgeographer, the ecologist, a geographer may derive special interest in the islands from the fact, that muttonbirding is a prerogative to certain Maori families of Foveaux Strait only. The Muttonbird Islands round about Stewart Island are subdivided in a northeastern, southeastern and southwestern group. An account of the nature of the islands is given with special reference to the vegetation. The muttonbirding of the Maori families holding titles is restricted by law to April and May and is an interesting business in itsself with all the preparations connected. The birds taken are more or less entirely sold to the Maori population in the North of New Zealand, where they have to compete with muttonbirds from Tasmania, Puffinus tenuirostris, which in the absence of a native population in Tasmania are harvested in a more economic way and are therefore well out for competition, even on the market in Northern New Zealand, taking into account that distance from Tasmania to Auckland is about the same as it is from Stewart Island. Muttonbirding being a dangerous and uncomfourtable business is not as popular these days amongst the Maoris as it used to be earlier; the industry is more or less declining in New Zealand, at least in its traditional way. Nevertheless, those Maoris, who are entitled to the business by law of inheritage, are immensely keen to hold their titles, even if they do not exercise their rights for years.