Myna in New Brighton, Christchurch

[Michael Szabo]

John Stewart has just posted this photo of two Common Mynas at New Brighton via Facebook with this comment:
"I managed a photo (not that great) of the now two Common Myna birds at New Brighton. On the red zone land at corner of Hawke Street and New Brighton Road. First one has been present in this area since April 2018."

[AngryBird45]

I sent an email to ECan about the myna, and the response suggests that they are looking into it.

[Michael Szabo]

Thanks, that's good to hear.

[RandF]

Interesting that Ecan have to get a "contractor" to do the dirty work! When I lived in South Africa, I reported several sightings of Mallard to the local Zone Officer of the DOC equivalent over there. Nick Z used to travel around with a silenced, scoped .22 in his ute and he would make short work of the offenders within a day of them being reported. For reference, Mallard in SA were a huge hybridisation threat to Yellow-billed Duck (Anas undulata) and (up to around 2010 at least) any sighting was treated as a matter of priority to eliminate the threat.

[andrewcrossland]

While it would be great for rangers in NZ to carry side arms and it would do wonders for upping the level of compliance, it probably takes the risk of an encounter with a lion, a grizzly beer or a snake to make our employers and society at large to support the move.

[Neil Fitzgerald]

Item on RNZ about them this morning.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/513 ... parks-hunt
Pleased Anita pointed out they are not the biggest threat.

[Michael Szabo]

She is also quoted saying: "Birds New Zealand Canterbury regional representative Anita Spencer said if the birds remained and bred, they were likely to have a negative impact on native birds, as they are known to be aggressive and territorial and to kick other birds' eggs out of their nests."

Nobody has said the Common Myna is a greater threat to NZ native birds than invasive mammal predators such as stoats, rats and cats. If they establish in the South Island they will add to the combined pressure that invasive species exert on native birds and ecosystems. As such, it would be prudent to eradicate these 2 birds now rather than leave them to establish because the cost of trying to control them later on will be far higher.

Photo of two Common Mynas raiding a native Jungle Babbler nest in India by N Kesavamurthy.

[Jan]

Anita didn't say they should not be removed, just that they are more visible than cats, stoats and rats that mostly do damage at night, out of sight. Who writes these reports that all the time refer to Myna birds, kaka birds, kiwi birds? Are they American? We don't say Sparrow birds, Thrush birds, do we? Science reporting is done so badly and once over lightly, it's really annoying. If it were sport now, wow it would get a hiding.

[Michael Szabo]

Yes, I think when reporters refer to 'Myna birds' they are trying to distinguish them from the human miners that dig up minerals underground.

[Jan]

!!!