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The Nesting and Some Other Habits of Alopochen, Nettapus, Plectropterus and Sarkidiornis Captain C

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The Nesting and Some Other Habits of Alopochen, Nettapus, Plectropterus and Sarkidiornis Captain C The nesting and some other habits of Alopochen, Nettapus, Plectropterus and Sarkidiornis Captain C. R. S. PITMAN Summary African ‘geese’ are catholic in their choice of nest-sites. Most Egyptian and Spur-winged Geese nest on dry ground, but may use holes in trees, or old arboreal nests of other birds. Pygmy Geese occasionally nest on the ground but more often in trees or on buildings. The Knob-bill nests in trees and in Africa at least also on the ground. Clutch-sizes and parental behaviour are discussed. There is some evidence that Sarkidiornis may often be polygamous in Africa, though appa­ rently not in India. Alopochen and Plectropterus roost on water, the latter also sometimes on dry land. Sarkidiornis roosts chiefly in trees, though sometimes on mudbanks or floating islets. The roosting places of Nettapus are not known. Flocks of Alopochen and Plectropterus sometimes cause serious damage to crops, by trampling or nibbling maize, beans, and sweet potatoes and pulling up entire ground-nut plants. Introduction nest site I was shown near Entebbe was Commonly known as ‘geese’ the members some 30 feet above the ground in the of the four tropical genera Alopochen, crown of a palm and was only discovered Nettapus, Plectropterus and Sarkidiornis when the goslets were seen falling from it. differ in many respects from those of Anser All these sites were close to water, but in and other closely allied genera. Delacour South Africa a nest three feet up in a (1954-64) and other authorities, treat the ‘mopane’ tree was 200 yards from water. Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiacus as a An unusual site was in the thatch of an member of the tribe Tadomini, which occupied African hut; the dry grass of the includes the sheld-ducks and South thatch was pushed up to form a tunnel American sheldgeese, and puts the other about a foot long and the nest - there were three genera in the tribe Cairinini, along no eggs - was lined with down. Nests have with the wood ducks and the Muscovy been found in ant-heaps and in the tree- Duck. But in its nesting, feeding and social nests of other birds, in particular, inside habits, with which this paper is concerned, the huge structures of the Hammerkop or Alopochen is much like the perching geese. Hammerhead Stork Scopus umbretta. In South Africa a nest - of grass but with no Nesting habits down in the lining - was found in a heavy Nettapus auritus - a f r i c a n p y g m y g o o s e clump of grass on a river bank; and one in OR DWARF GOOSE Northern Rhodesia, by a shallow 2 i acres This particularly lovely little goose - the pan in ‘mopane’ woodland, an untidy male with its exquisitely handsome head - grass structure under a log, on mud, and is found on lakes, lagoons, dams and back­ about 20 yards from the water’s edge. At waters. I knew it well in many parts of the same pan there was another Pygmy Uganda and, though widespread, less Goose nest - a rough structure of grass commonly in Northern Rhodesia. When I containing six eggs, but no mention of first went to Entebbe (on Lake Victoria), down - in fairly deep water. These last two Uganda, in 1925, I knew of four nests records are of particular interest as they which I did not disturb. One was in a hole indicate that the Pygmy Goose will nest on in an ironstone cliff and the others 30 to the ground even when there is woodland - 40 feet up in holes in large trees. These and the probability of suitable nest holes - were all in the same locality where Sir near at hand. There is an important factor, Frederick Jackson (a Governor of Uganda) however, which may have influenced these had previously found a nest at arm’s Pygmy Geese for in this locality there is a length in a hole, seven feet above the considerable population of large, deadly, ground in an ironstone cliff. This same predatory Black Mambas which freely hole and others near by in the low ironstone explore holes in trees. In the virtually cliff had been regularly tenanted by wild treeless vast open and swampy country of Grey Parrots Psittacus erithacus until Nigeria where the Pygmy Goose is com­ systematic robbing of their nearly fledged mon, it can only nest on the ground or in young eventually drove them away. Jack­ swamp. son found other Pygmy Goose nests in The nest is variously described as con­ trees at Entebbe respectively at 30 feet and structed of dry twigs, coarse grass and 60 feet above the ground - the latter in a leaves, etc., sometimes lined with down hole at the end of a dead branch. Another and (Jackson records) with a little green HABITS OF AFRICAN WILDFOWL US moss. The usual complement of pale which contained the remains of their nests creamy-white eggs varies from 6 to 9, and which were said to be used year after though Delacour (1959) records up to 12; year. Various authorities on Indian birds and from the data available the African describe the nests as constructed of twigs, Pygmy Goose lays fewer eggs than either grass, dead leaves and feathers - but no the Cotton Teal or Green Goose-Teal. down - and at any height above the ground So few nests have been found, that as from water level to 30 feet up, though the yet little is known about the breeding majority are at about six to twelve feet; a behaviour of the African Pygmy Goose. nest sited as high as 68 feet has been found At Entebbe, a brood of eight newly hatched in a hole in a building at Rangoon, Burma goslets was caught by an African who had and another at 40 feet was in a niche in a trapped the parent; an attempt to keep factory chimney. A nest has also been them in captivity failed as the parent recorded in an ant hill at the base of a tree escaped and the brood died. The African and another - a nest of grass - on top of an Pygmy Goose is as agile as the Cotton ant hill. Nest holes usually have a wide Teal when entering its nest hole in a tree entrance, yet when they are as small as or cliff, vide Jackson’s graphic description four inches across these birds fly into them ‘shot in as nimbly as a Sand Martin or with the greatest accuracy, without pause Kingfisher’ ; he also recorded that the or hesitation. mother goose was accompanied to the In Burma, a Cotton Teal with five eggs cliff face by the drake. The female must was found nesting in the same tree-hole as be able to check itself in a remarkable way a Comb Duck, which had six eggs; all so as to enter a small aperture and its eleven eggs are in the National Collection restricted space seemingly at top speed. at the British Museum (Natural History). Watch as assiduously as I might, during Nests may also be placed in ruined houses, the breeding season, rarely did I see the temples and old chimneys, but Stuart- brooding female - she was not always Baker challenges the authenticity of two accompanied by the male in her flight - nests described as ‘a semi-floating nest on enter the elevated cliff-hole. The approach the water, among the rushes or lotus was not direct and when the two birds leaves, of weed, grass, etc., all together’. were together they flew several times to This is an observation of days long bygone, and fro at the correct level until one since when there has been no other such suddenly swerved into the hole. If one did Indian record. But this does not mean that not watch carefully one missed the split the record is valueless, for in Australia second entry on the realisation there was N.pulchellus, the Green Pygmy Goose, will only one bird visible instead of two ! nest on the ground and in swamp, as N.auritus, the Dwarf Goose, also does in Nettapus coromandelianus - COTTON TEAL Africa. or I n d i a n p y g m y g o o s e , and in Australia, For the size of the bird the complement where it is usually classified as N .c. of pale creamy-white eggs - usually varying albipennis, w h i t e - q u i l l e d p y g m y g o o s e from six to fourteen - is relatively large, Or WHITE-QUILLED GOOSE TEAL. and as many as 16, 18 and 22 have been When serving in the Indian Army, prior to recorded. A nest containing a total of 40 the First World War, I was familiar with eggs suggests competition for a nesting site the little Cotton Teal of south-east Asia, and more than one female responsible. The New Guinea and Australia in the course of male, though often accompanying the several shooting expeditions to the Central female to the nest hole, never enters. Provinces. As it breeds during the monsoon when the rains make the jungle impassable Sarkidiomis melanotos - k n o b - b i l l e d I had no opportunity of investigating its GOOSE, KNOB-BILL, COMB DUCK or NUKTA. breeding habits. In these jungles when I knew the Knob-Bill much better in there is no other permanent water the Africa than in India, where its nesting widely scattered villages are each sited habits have long been well known, whereas alongside a ‘tank’.
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