Council work towards controlling Indian Myna Birds populations
The Indian Myna is a medium-sized bird native to the Middle East, India and Asia that has been introduced to Australia and is now found in the Sunshine Coast region.
As an introduced pest, they have the potential to become abundant, particularly in areas that have been disturbed by human activities.
The Sunshine Coast Council provides provision of trapping equipment, assistance to set up and operate trapping equipment and humane euthanasia and disposal of trapped birds, to assist residents to control Indian Myna birds.
Gympie Regional Council does not currently have an eradication plan in place for Indian Myna birds, however, officers have been working in partnership with the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services in developing plans to control populations in the Rainbow Beach areas.
Indian Mynas cause significant environmental problems including:
- Removing native parrots from nest boxes or tree hollows and even killing eggs and chicks
Killing small mammals and removing sugar gliders from tree hollows - Spreading diseases that affect native birds (e.g. avian malaria)
- Damaging fruit, vegetable and cereal crops
- Spreading weeds
- Forming large noisy communal roosts in suburban areas
- Causing dermatitis, allergies and asthma in people
(See more: www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au)
Proposed measures include a humane trapping program and holding discussions with the Gympie Men’s Shed to build trap devices and assist with the management of components of the Indian Myna control program. Council is open to discussing control solutions with community groups in the Tin Can Bay, Rainbow Beach and Cooloola Cove region.
Council has also partnered with Gympie Landcare, who house and manage the Council-owned Indian Myna Judas-Bird holding facility, as well as operating the ‘CO2’ Indian Myna euthanasia device.
Legislatively, Indian Mynas are not currently required to be controlled, however, Council acknowledge they have capacity (along with other pest bird species such as ‘Black Birds’) to have huge environmental impacts on native bird species, mainly through displacing native species by territorial dominance and habitat displacement. These impacts can be seen across Australia.
Council recommend the FeralScan website for information and reporting of sightings: https://www.feralscan.org.au/mynascan/
