The carnivores, being flesh eaters, get most of the moisture they require from the flesh of their prey, and consequently are not reliable water-drinkers. An exception to this are parrots and cockatoos, which are not regarded as reliable indicators of water. Birds - Grain eatersĪll the grain eaters and most of the ground feeders require water, so that if you see their tracks on the ground you can be reasonably certain that there is water within a few miles of your location. It is obvious then that the direction of water can be discovered by observing the pigeons' manner of flight. Being heavy with water, they are vulnerable to birds of prey. If they are flying low and swift they are flying to water, but if their flight is from tree to tree and slow, they are returning from drinking. Their manner of flight tells the experienced bushman the direction of their water supply. Being grain and seed eaters they spend the day out on the plains feeding, and then, with the approach of dusk, make for a waterhole, drink their fill, and fly slowly back to their nesting places. Wild pigeons are a reliable indicator of water. In the dry belts you may see a colony of finches and you can be certain that you are near water, probably a hidden spring or permanent soak. Birds - FinchesĪll the finches are grain-eaters and water-drinkers. By digging down a few inches (or at, most, a couple of feet) you will assuredly find a spring and clear, fresh, drinkable water. If you examine the place where she landed you will find the soil is moist, and that she is busy rolling a tiny pellet of mud for her building. Search around carefully and you will see the mason fly hover and then suddenly drop to the ground. If you see a mason fly's buildings in an area you can be sure that you are within a few hundred yards of a soak of wet earth. These large, hornet-like creatures are a certain indicator of water. Water reservoirs are very common in the she-oaks (casuarinas) and many species of wattle. These natural tree reservoirs are very common in dry areas, and are often kept full by the dew which, condensing on the upper branches of the tree, trickles down into the crotch and so into the reservoir inside the tree. Dip the mop into the water and squeeze into a pannikin.Īnother method is to take a long hollow straw and suck the water you require from the reservoir. Make a mop by tying grass or rag to a stick. If the hole is only very small, enlarge it with your knife-point at the top. To get the water do not on any account chop into the tree. Obviously if it is wet when you draw it out there is water there. This can be proved by dipping a long straw or thin stick down the hole into which the ants are going. Many of the ants require water, and if you see a steady column of small black ants climbing a tree trunk and disappearing into a hole in a crotch it is highly probable that there will be a hidden reservoir of fresh water stored away there. You can be sure that if you see bees you are not far from fresh water, but you will probably have to look for further indications before you actually find the water supply. Rarely will you find a hive of wild bees more than three or four miles from fresh water. Beesīees in an area are a certain sign of water. Pigeons and all grain eaters need water, but the flesh-eaters such as the crow and the hawks and eagles can go without water for long periods.īy knowing something of the nature of the insects, birds, animals and reptiles you can often find their hidden stores of precious water. The mason fly, that big yellow and black hornet-like creature, requires mud and water for the tunnel wherein he stores the spider he has paralysed. Many different forms of life are certain indicators of water in the near vicinity. How To Purify Stagnant water Using Animals To Find Water This page contains the following sections: Just as there is the problem of finding food in the bush, so too is there the problem of finding water, and many explorers and backwoodsmen died because they did not know how or where to look for water in apparently dry and arid regions. This page is taken from the 10 Bushcraft Books by Richard Graves.Īssociated directly with food is water. How to Find Water (Finding Water in the Wilderness) Home | What's New? | Get Started | Site Map | The Crash | Contribute | Resources | Disclaimer | Contact How to Find Water - Finding Water - Wilderness Survival
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