Birds of Hamilton Lake

Object type
Brochure Production date
Circa 1983 See full details

Object Detail

Description
Information and illustrations of the birds of Hamilton Lake, including: Mallard, Grey Duck, Shoveler, White and Black Swan, Black Shag, Little Shags, Little Black Shags, White Throated, Pied, Pukeko, Australian Coot, Kingfisher, Welcome Swallow, White Faced Heron and Canada Goose.
Secondary production person and role
Hamilton City Council
Accession number
HCLE_02392

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Many of the collection images are protected by copyright. For queries about permission to use images, please contact heritage@hcc.govt.nz.

Comments

Thanks for your comment, Coral. The bird life at the lake varies with the seasons and conditions. The Common Mallard often frequents the lake, and some make their home there. Towards the end of the year the ducks leave to breed in spring and return in summer. Other birds such as Paradise Shelduck, Dabchicks and Shoveler Ducks are rarer visitors. The Cormorants can often be seen roosting and perching in the trees opposite the Yacht club. All four species of Cormorant visit our lake. Other common birds include Coot and Pukeko.

- Barry HCL

Posted on 07-01-2024 22:14:39

Yes where have the beautiful send and ducks disappeared from the Hamilton Lake ?

- Coral Gallagher

Posted on 01-01-2024 05:58:54

Thank you for your comment Peter. From what we know, Black Swans used to be numerous on the Hamilton Lake in the 1970s and 1980s. Towards the end of the 80s the water quality deteriorated due to aquatic weeds dying off and releasing toxins into the water. Various other factors such as chemicals being added to the water to kill obnoxious weed and run-off through the catchment drains contributed to the collapse of the food cycle. Black Swans feed mainly on macrophytes (aquatic plants) Many birds left – by 1989 all the Coot had gone completely. About seven Black Swans remained. At that time they were subjected to cruelty – shot at, attacked with hockey sticks and mauled by dogs. The remaining Black Swans were taken to the Taitua Arboretum where they have a better life. Lakes are living entities and go in cycles. The water has improved in the last 20 years – there are aquatic plants, there are lots of fish, the Coot came back but the Black Swans failed to return in great numbers. Today we are lucky if we see two or three visiting birds. This could be because the type of macrophytes they eat have not re-grown. Even today, the water quality varies with wind-blown scums of blue-green algae and other bacteria.

- Barry HCL

Posted on 28-02-2023 00:31:44

Black swans used to be common at Hamilton lake. Why are they no longer there?

- Peter

Posted on 27-02-2023 08:20:34