Miro (Prumnopitys ferruginea)
Miro is a common tree in our forests. Once known as Podocarpus ferrugineus, it, as well as it’s close cousin Matai has been re classified to genus Prumnopitys. We have relitively very few mature Matai and only along the North & North East coast of Stewart Island, indicating the Island is a bit far south of its preferred range.
Yesterday I was over at Mill Creek attempting to photograph the resident whitefaced heron and kingfishers and noticed a small Miro across the stream in heavy fruit. Generally as a canopy species the fruit are not particularly visible and so this display is quite spectacular.
Miro in Fruit
Food Source
Miro is an important food source at least two of our bird species, including Pigeon (Kukupa) and Kaka. The fruit, which I would describe as “cherries” rather than “berries”are small with a relatively large stone inside. They ripen to a rich red colour in early winter, a time when there is little in the way of fruit food available.
Unripe and Ripe Miro Cherries
Kaka
Kaka seem to be disinterested in the flesh, which has a strong, and to me pleasant resinous smell but tastes awful. However they will split the stone within to get at the kernel, even in late summer when the fruit is quite green. The stone is exceptionally hard and gives testimony to the strength of the Kaka’s beak and it’s dexterity in being able to hold such a small fruit while splitting it.
Split Miro Cherry showing the inner kernel.
Pigeons
Pigeons on the other hand seem to relish the fruit, which they target once ripe.
Although we have significant numbers of Miro in our lowland forests, and judging by the fruit fall a large amount of available food for pigeons, most of them migrate to the South Island for our winter. As our winter climate here is warmer than the mainland and bearing in mind the availability of a significant food resource in the Miro I can only conclude that there is something else that pigeons require that is missing here in winter.
