IF you live in the Hawkesbury, there’s a good chance you have Indian mynas in your backyard. The territorial birds were introduced to Australia in the late 1800s to combat insect pests - particularly cane beetles - and are now ubiquitous on the east coast.
Declared one of the world’s most invasive species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Species Survival Commission (SSC), the Indian myna (also called the common myna, and not to be confused with the noisy miner which is a native Australian honeyeater) presents a serious threat to Australia’s ecosystems.
There are numerous groups around Australia combatting mynas in backyards, and this year marks the tenth anniversary of the Hawkesbury Indian Myna Action Group (HIMAG), the members of which control - by capturing and euthanasing - mynas using techniques declared humane by the Department of the Environment and Energy, and raise community awareness about the destruction caused by the obtrusive species.
Pitt Town’s Peter Ryan, HIMAG volunteer area coordinator, has been controlling mynas for ten years, during which time he estimated he had removed over 10,000 of the birds from his and his neighbour’s backyards.
He makes his own traps, which follow the PeeGees technique for humane myna trapping, and said there was a noticeable increase in the number of native birds in his yard when he was trapping mynas.
“I just got sick of seeing myna birds dominating the bird life in and around where I live. What I found is when these birds are removed our native species start to come back,” Mr Ryan told the Gazette.
According to the IUCN’s Global Invasive Species Database, Indian mynas compete aggressively for nesting hollows, and can reduce the breeding success of various species, particularly parrots - many of which are classified as threatened - but also kookaburras, kingfishers, galahs and rosellas, as well as small mammals like sugar gliders.
They are also known to damage fruit crops and can pose a human health risk as they carry bird mites that may infect humans, the IUCN states.
The local HIMAG program is facilitated by Hawkesbury Council and Hawkesbury Men’s Shed (the latter of which makes traps) and comprises over 350 residents aiming to improve the biodiversity of the Hawkesbury.
It would be great to have more people actively trapping Indian mynas, as well as people who are aware of the impacts they cause to public health.
- Martin Gauci, Community Bushcare Officer and HIMAG Indian Myna Facilitator
Mr Ryan said euthanasing mynas was key to removing them from the landscape, and that he undertook a specific trapping process to avoiding breeding what is known as ‘shy birds’.
“They’re a highly intelligent bird and part of what has been worked out in relation to trapping them is you must do it at night, when you go near the trap or set it up, because they’ll quickly relate you to the trap and then they won’t go near it,” he said.
“I don’t believe we’ll ever exterminate them - it’s just a matter of controlling them. What I’ve noticed at my place is, when the myna birds come in, the native birds move out to the fringe of the bush, but when the mynas are dealt with, the native birds are back in the yard within a week.”
Mr Ryan said the PeeGees traps were about a metre long by 50cm wide and 50cm high, and consisted of two chambers - one ‘feeding chamber’ to attract the myna, and a ‘containment chamber’ with a shelter, perch, water and food.
“We’re never, ever cruel to the birds,” Mr Ryan said. “The beauty of these traps is if a bird you’re not targetting [like a native] goes into it, you can release it.”
Mr Ryan warned residents trapping mynas shouldn’t leave dog food out - including kibble - because the mynas would eat that instead of the food left in the trap.
Martin Gauci, Community Bushcare Officer and Indian Myna Facilitator for HIMAG, said the group was always on the lookout for new members to help control mynas in the area.
“It would be great to have more people actively trapping Indian mynas, as well as people who are aware of the impacts they cause to public health through scavenging in and around cafes and shops,” Mr Gauci said.
He added that residents could also help through maintaining bushy native gardens (no palms or conifers) around their homes to detract mynas and help native wildlife flourish.
- For information about HIMAG, go to www.hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au/environment/natural-environment/pest-animals/indian-myna-control-program-himag. All residents are welcome to join, but must follow the rules for humane control of mynas as set out on the website.
