Indian Mynas or Native Species?
The Indian Myna bird – 1 of only 3 birds on the World Conservation Union’s list of 100 most invasive species – is a major pest in Australia’s eastern mainland States and the ACT. By killing native chicks, taking over nesting hollows and preying on skinks and rare and endangered insects they are a significant risk to our wildlife. By carrying pathogens, mites and disease they are a risk to human health. Their raucous calls, messy roosts, nests in roof spaces, displacement of native birds and their fouling of backyards cause a major loss of public amenity. Their pecking of grapes, figs and soft berry crops – as with native birds – cause horticultural loss.
These and many more are at risk from Indian Mynas
How You Can Help
- participate in the CIMAG humane trapping program (Request a Trap, Trap Plans, Trapping Help Sheet, Protocol on Animal Welfare)
- don’t leave cat and dog food out in the backyard during the day for mynas to take
- use a treadle feeder for your back yard chooks to prevent birds and vermin from accessing the feed
- making public areas such as shopping centres, restaurants and cafes much less attractive to mynas by not leaving food around
- refrain for feeding birds in public areas, which can have the unfortunate effect of attracting even more pest birds to the area and destroying
public amenity - planting more shrubs in gardens to reduce open areas that mynas prefer
- avoid planting tall thin trees with dense foliage such as pencil pines which flocks of mynas use for roosting at night
- check your roof for any holes or entry points and block them to prevent entry by mynas, making sure at the same time that you haven’t accidentally imprisoned a possum or other native resident
- cover food scraps / waste at home – secure bins, don’t leave bags of food waste out
- keep stock feed in rural areas secured away from mynas