There are hundreds of them in the local public park and recycling centre that if I had the time I would take some traps there and spend the day trapping them all. I would probably get labelled cruel and criticized to no end by people who consider them naturalized and therefore part of the Australian native fauna.
For Australian birds, natives=life, exotics=death, so do them a favour and go plant some natives and save their lives.
myna sympathisers are unusual but not unprecedented, i've known people to deliberately feed them. interestingly some people seem unable to distinguish them from noisy miners are regard them as the same, not sure how they account for plumage colour differences (maybe male and female??) but still...
I since learnt that the council has been sacked due to corrupt dealings with property developers and not consulting residents regarding new developments in their neighbourhood, and the recycling centre is run by a private company and they don't want non employees to hang around, so it seems the notorious mynah is in luck.
For Australian birds, natives=life, exotics=death, so do them a favour and go plant some natives and save their lives.
As is so often the case if folk of good environmental will are to see the environment protected they'll need to be agile in taking their own initiatives. Yes, it's never been a more exciting time to eradicate the Common Mynah.
they don't seem to like any dense vegetation (other than occasional fruit trees) not necessarily just natives. in my experience they are more common in gardens with large lawn or other open spaces, being closely associated with human residences and an altered landscape.
they evolved in heavily urbanised and market garden evironments in se asia with high human population densities, they adapted to living with humans early on. They will occasionally make use of natural tree hollows but from what i've seen it seems they actually prefer artificial sites to nest in e.g. houses.
I support your integrated, double barreled approach, Devster. Plus any others that might be effective such as not leaving rubbish around that they might use as nesting material.
They don't necessarily need rubbish for nesting material, they have a natural attraction to shiny objects so sometimes incorporate artificial objects into the nest when available. In my experience their nests are usually roughly 70% natural items 30% artificial. They particularly like food wrappers.
I was surprised to learn that these birds were deliberately introduced so long ago. You think that we might have learned from that.
Sue
I doubt that the majority of Australians give a fig bird, Sue. Let's show 'em!
I asked if my local council had traps but seems not.. so now to convince my husband to make it or perhaps I'll try the men's shed.
Sue
Hmmmm. Sounds like a rather irresponsible council, Sue.
There are hundreds of them in the local public park and recycling centre that if I had the time I would take some traps there and spend the day trapping them all. I would probably get labelled cruel and criticized to no end by people who consider them naturalized and therefore part of the Australian native fauna.
For Australian birds, natives=life, exotics=death, so do them a favour and go plant some natives and save their lives.
perhaps you could contact the council, doublebar?
myna sympathisers are unusual but not unprecedented, i've known people to deliberately feed them. interestingly some people seem unable to distinguish them from noisy miners are regard them as the same, not sure how they account for plumage colour differences (maybe male and female??) but still...
Doublebar, I suppose those Mynah lovers to whom you refer would regard the Australian native birds displaced by the Mynahs as un-naturalized.
I since learnt that the council has been sacked due to corrupt dealings with property developers and not consulting residents regarding new developments in their neighbourhood, and the recycling centre is run by a private company and they don't want non employees to hang around, so it seems the notorious mynah is in luck.
For Australian birds, natives=life, exotics=death, so do them a favour and go plant some natives and save their lives.
As is so often the case if folk of good environmental will are to see the environment protected they'll need to be agile in taking their own initiatives. Yes, it's never been a more exciting time to eradicate the Common Mynah.
Intersting article.
I also read the other amall artile "Plant trees, not traps, to get rid of Indian myna"
While planting native trees may get rid of them from your garden, it doesn't stop them going somewhere else and continuing to breed.
I don't see why we can't do both.
We are very lucky in the Samford area and there is only a very small Myna population.
In fact I feel there numbers have declined as we always used to be able to see them around but now only occasionally.
they don't seem to like any dense vegetation (other than occasional fruit trees) not necessarily just natives. in my experience they are more common in gardens with large lawn or other open spaces, being closely associated with human residences and an altered landscape.
they evolved in heavily urbanised and market garden evironments in se asia with high human population densities, they adapted to living with humans early on. They will occasionally make use of natural tree hollows but from what i've seen it seems they actually prefer artificial sites to nest in e.g. houses.
I support your integrated, double barreled approach, Devster. Plus any others that might be effective such as not leaving rubbish around that they might use as nesting material.
They don't necessarily need rubbish for nesting material, they have a natural attraction to shiny objects so sometimes incorporate artificial objects into the nest when available. In my experience their nests are usually roughly 70% natural items 30% artificial. They particularly like food wrappers.
I learn something every day. I didn't know the Sunshine Coast Council was doing anything about the problem. I must investigate.