On Black Tailed Native Hens Poem by Francis Duggan

As birds go black tailed native hens are a nomadic race
They never seem to stay for long in any one place
Mostly dark with green and red bills and of humans quite shy
When they see you they disappear into cover by lake or waterway nearby
In ground nest of reeds in cover by water five to seven green dotted eggs the females birds lay
From human eyes and eyes of predators well hidden away
For to be truly nomadic in life is their way
In any one place they don't have a long stay
Bantam sized birds they wander far and wide
But for long periods of time in any one place they do not reside
They are always near water bordered by small trees, bushes and tall grass
Where they run to for to hide until danger does pass
Never seen in aviaries far too wild for to tame
Black tailed native hens for them seems an apt name.