Indian Mynas!

[Brazen]

Just some info for all you living on the east coast, Indian Mynas in some areas are reaching plague proportions.

These introduced pest birds from Sri Lanka/India bully out the native birds, they are very aggressive in many cases take over nests and can kill the native chicks and destroy the eggs.

A lot can be done using special traps (like Myna Magnets) that can capture Indian Mynas in your area. Depending on your state's laws you can humanely kill them with CO2 from canisters or carbon monoxide from exhaust - obviously check what laws govern you. Quite quickly you can wipe out the entire Indian Myna population in your area.

In Canberra the action group http://www.indianmynaaction.org.au/ there of land and homeowners has successfully halved the population in Canberra in recent years. So every bit can add up.

What brought this all up is that my neighbour caught about 30 around the start of the year and since then haven't seen a single one and just today noticed some parrots in my backyard which I hadnt seen in years.

[Auslandau]

Hate these birds. I have noticed the huge amount around here this year. There seems to be a hell of a lot more than last year. They are very aggressive and will chase every other bird out of the area.

[castellan]

Originally Posted by Brazen

Just some info for all you living on the east coast, Indian Mynas in some areas are reaching plague proportions.

These introduced pest birds from Sri Lanka/India bully out the native birds, they are very aggressive in many cases take over nests and can kill the native chicks and destroy the eggs.

A lot can be done using special traps (like Myna Magnets) that can capture Indian Mynas in your area. Depending on your state's laws you can humanely kill them with CO2 from canisters or carbon monoxide from exhaust - obviously check what laws govern you. Quite quickly you can wipe out the entire Indian Myna population in your area.

In Canberra the action group http://www.indianmynaaction.org.au/ there of land and homeowners has successfully halved the population in Canberra in recent years. So every bit can add up.

What brought this all up is that my neighbour caught about 30 around the start of the year and since then haven't seen a single one and just today noticed some parrots in my backyard which I hadnt seen in years.

image

Yep they sure are a mongrel up hear in SE Queensland now.

[XB GS 351 Coupe]

Air rifle is more fun...

[Legit290]

Way too many of them in Sydney.

[Brazen]

Yep horrible things, some councils will lend traps and have volunteers to come and destroy the birds or the RSPCA can do it in some areas, so worth checking out.

[supershifty]

I've noticed that there are far more less common sparrows and willy wagtails around these days - anything to do with these Mynas birds?

Cheers!

[zabatron]

Plenty of these here in Victoria too...As well as other pest introduced species such as spotted turtle doves.They have my dog's food bowl under constant surveillance,and keep trying to steal my dog's food,but he has caught quite a few of them.

[Peter B - CV8]

Originally Posted by XB GS 351 Coupe

Air rifle is more fun...

Best part is when you bowl one over & all it's mates gather around the body wondering what the hell just happened.... gives you a good opportunity to bowl a couple more over.
I don't get any of them at my place anymore - even if I burley up with bread in the back lawn.

[Grippy]

I'm sick of the mongrels swooping me when I go for a run, they're absolute pests.

[galaxy xr8]

I had them nesting in the roller door of my rear garage, I moved them on and they started to nest in the eaves of the house.. so once again I moved them on and they went to another corner of the house.. so I moved them on again and I hadn’t seen them nesting on my property for a while until one day I was up in the back garage and I heard their squark... they have a distinctive squark, and what do you know they had built a nest in the V of where the air conditioner meets the roof, behind it. So up I went on the ladder and destroyed their nest, boy was that fun as they kept swooping me and attacking as it was breading season as well.
They aren’t on my property anymore but they still hang around and I believe they are nesting in the neighbours somewhere, damn things they are.
I'd pull my air riffle out but I have some strange neighbours that abound me so I am weary at times but they are a pest here in central Vic.

[Brazen]

Ha, rifles can be a good culling weapon for these birds. I know one of the coucils visited the shooting clubs in their region telling members to aim for these birds. In most states it is a legislated pest species meaning they can be killed on sight effectively (as long as its humane).

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Grippy

I'm sick of the mongrels swooping me when I go for a run, they're absolute pests.

Need to wear the ice cream bucket with sticks poking out of it bro

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by supershifty

I've noticed that there are far more less common sparrows and willy wagtails around these days - anything to do with these Mynas birds?

Cheers!

Probably, they are devastating to these populations for a few reasons. They can literally barge in and take over another birds nest and in the process kill the chicks and throw out the eggs. One pair will often have five or six nests even if they dont need them - and defend every one of them meaning there is less nesting places for other birds.

The positive thing is it looks like the native birds simply avoid being in areas where they are located to avoid clashes and death and once the mynas are killed they bounce back to healthy numbers pretty quickly in those areas.

The backyard traps around Canberra have meant that Indian Myna has gone from the number 3 most profilific bird to number 12 over a relatively short amount of time.

[CoupeKing]

I got Magpies near me, they seem to keep everything in check.

[Road_Warrior]

I was shocked when we went up to the North-West in July and saw these bloody things everywhere - not in plague proportions but not far off.

Plus saw some out Lake Grace way on the weekend - so they're spreading.

[TheSneakiness]

Got them at my place and they love the dog biscuits.

He used to chase them but he seems scared of them now or is too bloody lazy to chase them.

[Grippy]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

Need to wear the ice cream bucket with sticks poking out of it bro

I'll take my cricket bat with me next time and I'll whack them as I run.

[aussiblue]

I was shocked when we went up to the North-West in July and saw these bloody things everywhere - not in plague proportions but not far off.

Plus saw some out Lake Grace way on the weekend - so they're spreading.

Rare in WA other natives are sometimes as these ferals see http://archive.agric.wa.gov.au/objtw...onmyna_nht.pdf

[aussiblue]

and http://archive.agric.wa.gov.au/PC_94795.html

21 November 2011

The Department of Agriculture and Food is urging residents to be on the lookout for a pest bird in the Northern Agricultural Region.

Department biosecurity officer Kate Detchon said there had been recent unconfirmed sightings of the Common Myna in the Walebing, Buntine and Wubin areas.

The Common Myna is a pest of cereal and horticulture crops, and is not normally found in Western Australia. The department is asking local residents and visitors to keep a lookout for the pest bird.

“The Common or Indian Myna is cocoa coloured, with a dark brown head and is about 22 to 27 cm long,” Ms Detchon said.

“It has yellow legs, a yellow beak and yellow skin extending underneath and behind the eyes. It has a long black tail tipped with white, and white patches beneath its wings are visible when it flies.”

Ms Detchon said this pest was often confused with native honeyeaters such as the Yellow Throated Miner.

“However, Yellow Throated Miners are native to the area and eat only insects and nectar from native flowers. To tell them part, the native miners have grey bodies, whereas the Common Mynas are brown.”

Ms Detchon said the Common Myna was established in eastern parts of Australia, but not in Western Australia.

“The IUCN (World Conservation Union) lists the Common Myna as one of the 100 worst alien invasive species, along with the cane toad and common starling,” she said.

“It has been known to damage standing cereal crops including wheat, maize and rice. The bird also damages orchard fruits such as grapes, figs, apples, pears, strawberries and mangoes.”

The Common Myna is also an environmental pest and has been reported to eat eggs and young chicks.

“This bird is often found around picnic areas, near houses and in roadside vegetation. They nest in tree hollows, under roofs, in walls, or in cliff hollows,” Ms Detchon said.

Any suspect sightings of the Common Myna should be reported to the Department of Agriculture and Food’s Pest and Disease Information Service on freecall 1800 084 881

and https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/birds/co...mal-pest-alert

The are mostly found in Perth as lone birds from ships from ships berthing in Fremantle. The solo birds will often hang out with flocks of non-related native birds.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by aussiblue

Rare in WA other natives are sometimes as these ferals see http://archive.agric.wa.gov.au/objtw...onmyna_nht.pdf

Hmm ok. They certainly look similar. Will have to have a better look next time.

[aussiblue]

Three introduced eastern state's birds the Lorikeet a(rainbow and Musk) and Kookaburra are a bigger problem in WA respectively displacing at risk species of WA parrots and WA kingfishers.

[aussiblue]

..and the lorikeets damage our cars see http://archive.agric.wa.gov.au/objtw...ow_mmassam.pdf

[mechanic]

I've caught and destroyed 300+. In Cairns a concerted effort by the residents has decimated them.
They love dog food and if dog owners would place dog food in a less accessible position it would be a big help.
One of the best ways to trap them is to put the dog food in the trap. They are the smelliest birds I've ever dealt with.

[Auslandau]

Was going to say ..... if people are going to shoot them .... don't get them confused with the Noisey Myna which is a native and not a problem ..... apart form being noisey!

[BOSS 540]

I hate those stupid spotted turtle doves imported from China. They wake me up nearly every morning. They also way outnumber the Aussie bush pigeons who hardly make any noise at all. Air rifles work great for doves and indian mynars. Makes you wonder who the genius was that thought it was a great idea to bring them here to Australia!

[nuthin' fancy]

The Canberra link in the first post was a successful and humane response to breaking the breeding cycle. FNQ populations 10 x as dense as southern populations.

[LG17]

Originally Posted by nuthin' fancy

The Canberra link in the first post was a successful and humane response to breaking the breeding cycle. FNQ populations 10 x as dense as southern populations.

They are in absolute plague proportions in FNQ.
Some of the Men's Sheds who make the traps for them simply can't keep up with the demand.

[millzy555]

Has anyone tried the traps on ebay??, ranging from $40-60. Seems good value to me

[mik]

I don't know if it's the same bird, but it sure looks similar to the type around our area, they are a bloody nuisance to be sure, our car lot is constantly getting crapped on, and they are noisy little buggers.
I generally like birds, but of recent years the pesky ones seem to be in plague proportions.
Driving around melbourne you can hear some suburban trees infested with birds, and there's so many of them they would drown out a lawn mower no problem.

At least we seem to be over our bat problem, the next door neighbors had bats in the trees near our driveway, the dirty rotten mongrel things. ....... Bat crap is hard to get off the duco, disease carry ing buggers.
Edit: ive been thinking recently about buying some fake hawks or something to put around the garden....... they would probably nest on those as well :(.