How can we save the rooks.

General birdwatching discussion, help with bird identification, and all other things relating to wild birds and birding in NZ that don't fit in one of the other forums.
kelly111
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Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2016 2:42 pm

Re: How can we save the rooks.

Postby kelly111 » Fri Jun 01, 2018 11:52 pm

Clinton9 wrote:Rooks are European birds and wrong birds as replacement for our own extinct native crow.

Australian crows are correct replacement birds for our own native crow.
so you saying it be ok to have Australian crows here then.and if we still had nz crows here thay be just the same as rooks.getting a hard time also as thay are just like rooks.
Clinton9
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Re: How can we save the rooks.

Postby Clinton9 » Fri Jun 01, 2018 11:53 pm

In future years the stronger cyclones might blow Australian crows to NZ, and it won't be good idea if Australian crows meet rooks and raise hybrid crow X rook.

Best is to save our country for native Australian crows rather than exotic European rooks.

I do not support your idea about save the rooks in NZ.

So rooks have to go, make way for Australian crows.
flossiepip
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Re: How can we save the rooks.

Postby flossiepip » Sat Jun 02, 2018 7:31 am

Lots of Rooks in the UK lots of farmers to, Rooks have never run a farmer out of business yet. If farmers here in NZ can not live with a few Rooks about its poor going and a bad reflection on them. Its not really the damage that Rooks do to pasture its the grubs and insects that they dig for. The farmer should see them as an eco friendly allies! Pray that the Myna does not get South in large numbers or you will soon live to curse it and for good reason. And if Rooks should go then so should Magpies, Blackbirds, Goldfinches etc. and on and on and then we will never see a bird anymore. It would be to difficult and cost to much so will never happen even if it should!. The only way to save the Rook is to get pro-active, lobby parliament, talk to TV form an action committee, I for one will buy the T-Shirt!
Clinton9
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Re: How can we save the rooks.

Postby Clinton9 » Sat Jun 02, 2018 9:42 am

Rooks are native to Europe and are fully protected in Great Britain and Europe and they can be shot / destroyed only as last resort if they pull vegetable seedlings. The most preferred diet for rooks are worms, insects and walnuts, with most rooks spend so much time walking on ground and I had never known rooks to eat fruits in trees in orchards.
In Europe, crows and jackdaws are more likely to be shot by people than rooks, because they readily ate fruits in orchards whose rooks did not ate fruits in orchards. Jackdaws and crows had been hunted and shot in orchards.

Mynas are unlikely to spread southward to South Island, and through sparrows, blackbirds, starlings, mynas can be pests during nonbreeding season when they feed on fruits in orchards, but when during breeding season they are wonderful insect controllers and are farmers"s friends, they eat a lots of insects when rearing their chicks.
Australian magpies can be a pain in neck, but they help controlling insects and keep blackbirds and mynas and starlings out of orchards.

When all rooks in NZ are destroyed by councils and government in NZ, the starlings will take over rooks as insect controllers.

Mynas lives in northern North Island, while starlings are still common and widespread in whole NZ, through starling numbers are decreasing in northern North Island and increasing in southern South Island. Starlings flies in large flocks during January to August.

Exotic finches as European goldfinch, European chaffinches & Yellowhammers and Redpolls and Cirl buntings and greenfinches are welcome to NZ as weed controllers and insect controllers. Song Thrushes are welcome in NZ as garden snail controllers.
European Robins and Bullfinches were imported to NZ in 1880s, but sadly they died out.
If Bullfinches are alive today in NZ, they do eat buds of fruit trees in orchards, but they are not the major pest, and would add colours (pink, grey, brown, black) to our NZ environment. Our European chaffinches are only exotic birds with pink colour on breasts.

Only the major pest birds as rooks, European blackbirds, mynas, sparrows are not welcome in NZ, and would be destroyed during May to September.
flossiepip
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Re: How can we save the rooks.

Postby flossiepip » Sat Jun 02, 2018 10:18 am

Starlings are declining because of competition with Myna's for nesting sites a problem that not only Starlings have. Myna birds are very aggressive and take the eggs and young of all over species. Not to sure that you can pick and choose on the basis that you like this one and not that one!
Jim_j
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Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2013 1:04 pm

Re: How can we save the rooks.

Postby Jim_j » Sat Jun 02, 2018 10:49 am

May as well put my 2c in..
I've always been of the view on exotics:-
- No new ones please!!!
- Any already here if they are not a threat to natives and filling an empty niche - no issue
- If they pose a threat to agriculture/forestry whatever then let the science decide.

I've seen various posts on Rooks over the years - some say beneficial - some say pest - be nice to see some studies confirming one way or the other.
I presume they were brought here because someone thought they might control something else (ala stoats..) - but as we all know this strategy has not worked well for us at all!

Same for magpies & mynas - however can't see any of them being in the same league as rats, possums, stoats etc.

I guess there is always a risk though even with good research - what turns out to be benign now could be quite a different problem if NZ warms by a couple of degrees....

cheers
Jim
flossiepip
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Re: How can we save the rooks.

Postby flossiepip » Sat Jun 02, 2018 1:09 pm

Always looking to the wider view I asked a question on Birdforum in the conservation section, so there might be some interesting further information if you look there!
Clinton9
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Re: How can we save the rooks.

Postby Clinton9 » Sun Jun 03, 2018 12:55 am

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Neil Fitzgerald
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Re: How can we save the rooks.

Postby Neil Fitzgerald » Sun Jun 03, 2018 11:27 am

flossiepip wrote:Myna birds are a far bigger pest than Rooks could ever be


Based on what?
flossiepip
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Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2011 6:27 pm

Re: How can we save the rooks.

Postby flossiepip » Sun Jun 03, 2018 11:45 am

Personal observation!

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