For 14 months I have been trapping and euthanising Indian Mnya Birds that have all but taken over our local area in Western Sydney near Penrith NSW.
Before I started, we had three pairs of Indian Myna's nesting in our roof, one in each corner. They seemed to like our house as it is one of very few two story houses around. I tried blocking their access, hosing and even rubber snakes and all those strategies failed. All our neighbours had them as well. We were all frustrated that these were the only birds that seemed to be around.
The number of Indian Myna birds seemed to have exploded from 2005 to 2010.
A friend put me onto a fellow that built traps specifically to capture Indian Myna birds. I have caught and euthanised 382 of these birds.
It was interesting, I would seek a garden where there was a large amount of grass and a front fence. I would knock on a strangers door and I would ask their opinion of Indian Myna's. All but two people allowed me to place the trap with food and water in it.
Today we have the odd Indian Myna around our street and I was surprised that during the breeding season we did not seem to get an influx of new birds invading our local area. I kept the trap moving around within a 1 kilometre radias of our home.
Word had caught on as different neighbours spoke to each other. Recently I recieved a referral to a roosting place where there are two big Date Palms. The palms are full of them over 200 I estimated. At a house nearby and out of direct sight of the Indian Myna's I have caught 151 of these birds in the last few weeks.
What has changed is that we are starting to get Rosella's and Willie Wag Tails return. We are still missing the While Plumed Honeyeater, Eastern Spinbell, Spotted Pardalote's, Silver Eyes and the Superb Fair Wren's who were all once regular visitors to our native garden and big pond.
Our only goal and it is still our goal is to return the local area to the right balance of native birds that can raise their young without fear of being chased away or having their nests ruined with Indian Myna's filling them with rubbish.
Your experience seems to indicate the answer to your question is "Yes". I just hope that what you are doing is done humanely as no creature, introduced or not, deserves to suffer.
Alison
~~~~~~
"the earth is not only for humans, but for all animals and living things."
My personal opinion is not relevant,( although well known to most of the older members, as we had many topics like this before),but I would like to urge everyone to read the Forum Rules,and not let this turn into a discussion that could be interpreted as" promoting cruelty to animals", native or non native. Thanks, Marie-Louise
M-L
I cannot understand why a post like this has not attracted a lot of comments on this forum. The Indian Myna in our area has ousted Rosellas, Kookaburras from nesting sites. They have evicted Squirrel Gliders from nesting sites and just become a total pest. I am a bird watcher and saw my first Barking Owl tonight, some people may think that this is a small thing, but I saw it because I was trapping Indian Mynas and went to check the trap after dark.
Check out the Canberra Indiqan Myna Action Group web site for what trapping these feral sods can acieve!
I cannot understand why a post like this has not attracted a lot of comments on this forum. The Indian Myna in our area has ousted Rosellas, Kookaburras from nesting sites. They have evicted Squirrel Gliders from nesting sites and just become a total pest. I am a bird watcher and saw my first Barking Owl tonight, some people may think that this is a small thing, but I saw it because I was trapping Indian Mynas and went to check the trap after dark.
Check out the Canberra Indiqan Myna Action Group web site for what trapping these feral sods can acieve!
I think shaynep is to be commended. I assume that "euthanising" involves the use of carbon dioxide like the Canberra action group uses. I don't see any evidence of cruelty. And isn't it cruel to allow mynahs to evict native birds, many rare or uncommon, from their nests? Isn't it a bit like the case of the terrorists who have captured the Nigerian schoolgirls? At some stage we have to take a stand and take defensive action, like shaynep has in his area of responsibility and like the world is doing in response to the kidnappings.
I find it encouraging that views of this type are being expressed as long as the actions they represent are being conducted humanely. Such views are indicators that Australian culture may be changing towards the point where feral & wandering animals which are damaging to natural ecologies are no longer acceptable.
.
For Australian birds, natives=life, exotics=death, so do them a favour and go plant some natives and save their lives.
To be fair to the feral animals, shouldn't we include ourselves " the human feral animals" in the feral animals list, after all we roam around changing what doesn't suit us regardless of the consequences, let's not be so hypocritical please.
For Australian birds, natives=life, exotics=death, so do them a favour and go plant some natives and save their lives.
What??? Criticise our own species, doublebar?? Oh, come now!
But you raise a good point. I sometimes, but only sometimes, feel guilty about my attitude towards feral animals when I'm among them. The thing that perhaps separates our species from other animals is that we can make considered choices. E.g., to destroy nature or to preserve nature. Unfortunately, we so often see our species as completely separate from & above nature rather than as part of it. At present Homo sapiens seems to be hell bent on ensuring dominion over everything but I'm confident that our collective bums will be severely bitten in the long run. And we won't have a lot to show for it.
Except the teeth marks.
There is that, Night Parrot. But only in the rear view mirror as we exit stage left.
I'm with YOU on this one. I live by my own motto: The earth doesn't need us------We need the earth !
The planet will still excist after we humans have paid the price for our thoughtless destruction, and who knows the animals of this planet we so disregarded, might thrive once again. In the end, I do hope that nature will prevale.
(I'm happy to suffer for the greater good of nature)
M-L
There's that old comparison of the human race to a virus- think War of the Worlds...
Hmm Lachlan? I just think we are putting far too much value on ourselves , rather than thinking of ourselves as equals to all other animals. It’s our arrogance and the way we overestimate our importance that allows us to exploit and dominate nature , without hesitation.
M-L
Well done, Shaynep. One (so-called) coastal native tree Mynas love in our Pittwater area is the now ubiquitous Tuckeroo, not native to our area, but food for Mynas over the summer. It's been planted as a street tree by the council. Northern Beaches Indian Myna Action Group is a project of Pittwater Natural Heritage Association (yes, we've been amalgamated). Our volunteers use Peegee wire traps and so far have caught over 500 birds, euthanised according to RSPCA standards. We have a long way to go to make much difference but we'll keep trying.
Good on you & your group, marita.macrae. You've done my heart a power of good. While the task of eradicating Common Mynahs might seem daunting keep in mind that Australians have had little trouble in causing the extinction of a many native species of birds & other animals. A major factor in this has been habitat clearance so I'm wondering if any thought has been given to approaching council about replacing the Tuckeroos with an indigenous species. Alas, councils generally are renowned for their inappropriate, wildlife-hostile plantings although it must be recognized that some have caught on to the importance of planting good habitat.
Goodonya Marita. There should be a lot more like you.
Dear Marita,
The first thing that you will notice is that you will begin to hear other birds in your area. The smaller birds, finches, wrens, and birds like double bars began to return. The Indian Myna's did not return to our area from January 2013 and have only returned three months ago. We were very encouraged. I will be starting up again as of tomorrow to clear our local area before they begin to repopulate. People have a hard time understanding how dominating and cruel the Indian Myna can be.
Yes shaynep its a war against those flying rats. Not only dominating and cruel but so efficient at mulipying and taking over territory.
Sorry, I also wanted to say that I think it is wonderful that people like you and your group are making a difference to the survival rates of native birds in your region.
Hi Shaynep,
Your post is very encouraging. My wife and I live in Katoomba, and these mynas have moved in and taken over. We really need to ACT NOW before they get totally out of hand. Can you kindly share with me the contact info of this fellow that builds the traps that have worked so well for you? I drive right through the Penrith area every week several times, and would like to get one of his traps and clear directions as to how to use it...and put it to use before these birds totally drive all the other birds out of our area. Please contact me asap....my phone is 0452 409 924 and my email is Thanks! David
Hi David the post is a year or so old, but here are some links which might be of use, the first tells how to buy the others tell how to make.
Goodluck.
https://cvcia.org.au/purchase-an-indian-myna-trap/
https://cvcia.org.au/common-mynas/build-a-trap/
http://www.indianmynaaction.org.au/documents/PeeGeeTrapPlansrev%20June%2013.pdf
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
With so many attacks on the natural environment it's easy to become discouraged. So reading this thread has given me renewed energy & enthusiasm. There are people out there who care & who are prepared to act to save & restore the natural environment. Individuals like these can make a difference by not only eradicating a specific pest in a particular area but also by helping to establish a pro-natural environment culture. Sometimes it takes the actions & modelling of just one person to motivate many people to get involved.
This has come on top of a series of four recent visits to our place by researchers doing bird observations on the eastern side of the Mt Lofty Ranges. Lots of positive noises were made by the researchers about our establishment & the regeneration of natural habitat, especially native grasses. It makes us feel we are not alone in spite of all the anti-environment nazis out there.