A Strange Bird

St Antony’s quail, ornoxis myrmecophagii, of the genus Cortunix, inhabits the highland rainforests of Miamalau island in the Ventiak Group and other islands to the north west. Male and female are of about the same size, around 35 cm, with a plumpish body, rounded wings and a short tail. The plumage of both is a dark brown although the male has a white head. The legs are a deep red colour, around eight inches long with strong claws. The beak, also red, is curved and about 18 cms, much longer than is usual in quails due to the bird’s specialised diet.

 

The St Antony’s feeds exclusively on ants, tearing up subterranean nests with its claws and probing into the tunnels with its beak. It seems impervious to the insects’ bites and stings, partly through natural resistance but also because of the peculiar construction of its feathers. The whole belly, throat and anal area are covered with very soft, fluffy feathers, very like the fur of a Persian cat. While feeding, the St Antony’s stands relatively still in the midst of the ants it is attacking and contracts and expands the muscles beneath the surface of its skin so that the soft belly feathers ripple in waves. Ants attempting to repel their assailant, tend to run up its legs and become entangled in the soft feathers. The rippling motion actually seems to draw them in so that the bird acts as a living vacuum cleaner. It can then retreat to a safe distance and pick off the ants it has collected at its leisure.

 

The vacuum cleaner effect provides a means of carrying food back to the nest for hungry young and also accounts for the unusual amount of grooming which the St Antony’s engages in. Male and female are constantly at work on themselves and each other and fledglings quickly learn to groom their parents. Given this behaviour and the fact that the birds mate for life, they have the reputation of being particularly devoted to each other. In Ventiak they are known as kovativi, or love birds.


 

 

 

© Chris Else 2006