Mortality and survival of birds during an unseasonable snow-storm in South Canterbury, November 1967

A severe and unseasonable snow-storm In South Canterbury in November 1967 killed many skylarks, yellowhammers, magpies, thrushes and blackbirds. A total of 810 dead birds, nearly all introduced passerines, were picked up in homestead gardens and around farm buildings during a three-day visit to the area two weeks after the storm began; no dead birds were found in native forest. Several runholders reported severe mortality to wild ducklings and goslings, though adult ducks and geese survived well. Most passerines resumed breeding soon after the snow melted, but yellowhammers and fantails remained extremely rare.