Open Letter To Rspca

[Sam&Saki]

Indian Mynahs are pests with no place in the Australian ecosystem.

Yes, humans are responsible for introducing them to Australia; and as such, humans need to take responsibility for the damage they're doing and take all steps necessary to minimise and reverse said damage; which likely necessitates eradicating the pest species altogether.

If you truly believe no creature should ever be killed in any circumstance, you are shirking responsibility in a way that would end up in the destruction of almost all our native flora and fauna.

Never try to control any pest species again? Ok then, in a few short years Australia's only wild animals would be cane toads, rabbits, cats and mynahs.

[poodlefan]

My oldest boy Big Ted is taking on the Mynah problem one bird at a time.

He killed three fledglings last summer. I can't say I was heart broken. Haven't noticed a nest this year.

[Guest Tess32]

Is weird, these birds never seem too aggressive to me when I've seen them, but those other similar looking birds whose name I've totally forgotten, are always trying to KILL ME. They're native though aren't they...those grey ones?

[Crysti_Lei]

They're just Mynahs, they'll grow out of it.

hehehe

[Erny]

Is weird, these birds never seem too aggressive to me when I've seen them, but those other similar looking birds whose name I've totally forgotten, are always trying to KILL ME. They're native though aren't they...those grey ones?

You'd be talking about Noisy Mynahs. They are native. I like them for their full on and bravado personalities. I like the Butcher Bird too (native as well, I believe).

I've never had either of them try to swoop or worry me. In fact, when I lived on property with my folks, we had flocks of them that became somewhat tame and proved to be the most excellent "watch birds". If they started shrilling, we never ignored it. We'd look up into the trees to see what they were pointing at. On a couple of occasions it was a snake. And on another, there was a suspicious man who entered our property. The noisy mynahs are such characters and if you get a chance to get to *know* them, you can identify the different personalities from one to the other.

:D at CL.

Edited February 8, 2010 by Erny

[dog geek]

Is weird, these birds never seem too aggressive to me when I've seen them, but those other similar looking birds whose name I've totally forgotten, are always trying to KILL ME. They're native though aren't they...those grey ones?

You'd be talking about Noisy Mynahs. They are native. I like them for their full on and bravado personalities. I like the Butcher Bird too (native as well, I believe).

I've never had either of them try to swoop or worry me. In fact, when I lived on property with my folks, we had flocks of them that became somewhat tame and proved to be the most excellent "watch birds". If they started shrilling, we never ignored it. We'd look up into the trees to see what they were pointing at. On a couple of occasions it was a snake. And on another, there was a suspicious man who entered our property. The noisy mynahs are such characters and if you get a chance to get to *know* them, you can identify the different personalities from one to the other.

:D at CL.

;) um, Noisy Miners is the spelling I believe. They are the loveliest little guys....

And then there are Wattle Birds, they can get pretty feisty.

[gundoglover]

Shel & Pink Panther,

I accept the criticism of taking things to the extreme in my posting above. But then responding to the OP's request for some understanding of the need to humanely reduce the numbers of pest species (that is seriously impacting on native bird life) by accusing such advocates of "biological xenophobia" is pretty extreme, too.

I also accept the charge of using imprecise language by referring to parasites, vermin and other pests by the imprecise (and, incorrect) term of vermin.

The statement that we need to have a vet present when destroying vertebrates is news to me - why then is mice & rat poison sold in supermarkets without any such warning that a vet must be present when employing the product?

Lighten up, guys. The middle path is usually the sensible one in the end.

[Pink Panther]

gundoglover, I also undertand your position.

It's just that when we're talking about non-native animals killing native ones, that also bring a picture to my head of native ones killing other native ones. For example, I once saw a group of noisy miners killing a baby diamond dove. What do you think about this situation? I took the baby bird and tried to help it, but even though I doubt he had internal physical traumas (breathing sounds on both sides etc but of course I was at home and couldn't check thoroughly), he died of shock soon after. Do you think it was wrong for me to intervene because this was a native bird attacking, therfore it's allowed to?

[gundoglover]

gundoglover, I also undertand your position.

It's just that when we're talking about non-native animals killing native ones, that also bring a picture to my head of native ones killing other native ones. For example, I once saw a group of noisy miners killing a baby diamond dove. What do you think about this situation? I took the baby bird and tried to help it, but even though I doubt he had internal physical traumas (breathing sounds on both sides etc but of course I was at home and couldn't check thoroughly), he died of shock soon after. Do you think it was wrong for me to intervene because this was a native bird attacking, therfore it's allowed to?

No, of course I don't criticize you for intervening to help a suffering creature, if you can. I've done so myself. I just object to labels like "biological xenophobia" being bandied around.

And I admit to a flaw in my character that when I see an extreme view being stated, I find it difficult not to point out the logical consequences of adopting such a position.

[whippets]

I conducted biological xenophobia today when I used the Advocate on my cats. Bye bye worms.

[Kirty]

Are you sure it was a diamond dove, and not a spotted dove? Another huge pest...

[Erny]

It's just that when we're talking about non-native animals killing native ones, that also bring a picture to my head of native ones killing other native ones. For example, I once saw a group of noisy miners killing a baby diamond dove. What do you think about this situation?

The trouble is that when we introduce species and they thrive, they often thrive too much, upsetting the ecological 'balance' that nature originally intended. So then you get the native species under attack and population threatened. Native animals often will kill native animals and by rights we should leave them to do what they do - but there is usually a fine balance. That is except for when humans have stuffed things up anyway by the destruction of native animal habitat, causing over populations in small areas.

[Pink Panther]

Are you sure it was a diamond dove, and not a spotted dove? Another huge pest...

Nope, it was definitely a diamond dove. However, I don't see how the spotted dove can be that much of a pest, as they don't tend to inhabit areas too far away from humans.

[Alyosha]

Are you sure it was a diamond dove, and not a spotted dove? Another huge pest...

Nope, it was definitely a diamond dove. However, I don't see how the spotted dove can be that much of a pest, as they don't tend to inhabit areas too far away from humans.

Competition.

Not many birds or animals are above driving out competitors for food and breeding territory when they get the opportunity. It's just that Indian Mynas do it on a scale that is well above Australian natives, thus they can't cope.

We reduce habitat and nesting sites, so competition is tougher and tougher - for all birds and animals.

[whippets]

drool at Kirtys avatar (no pun intended )

o.k. back to the rats with wings......