I can only speak from my experiences around Sydney, and I don'y believe they
are a major threat away from the urban/vegetation interface. This link shows
records of Common Mynas from the Sydney region, with virtually all records
within the urban areas (or at least on the highly disturbed Cumberland Plain).
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/threatenedspecies/07471tpagssvol2pt13pests1.pdf
I would bet the records within the Wollongong Catchments (the eastern large
gap) are associated with the various buildings/clearings around the dam walls,
and the records in the south west are along the Wombeyan Caves Road (once again
an area where there are a number of residences). There are no records for the
Burragorang Valley (as opposed to the Common Starling - see the next map). Once
you get into "undisturbed" or continuous vegetation, the Mynas don't appear to
penetrate very far.
I have discussions with people saying that I think Starlings are just as bigger
threat as Mynahs, but the response is it is probably too late to do anything
about them whereas Mynas are still on the march. This is probably the case, but
I would still argue that they are only a threat in areas that already have a
disturbed nature and probably also have a depauperate bird community already.
Work in western Sydney (Urban Bushland Biodiversity survey - search around on
the NPWS site if you are interested) had many remnants in western Sydney having
communities dominated by Noisy Miners and very few smaller species.
As the linked report says they may be having an impact on such species as Brown
Treecreepers in western Sydney (and this is also the case in Canberra) but this
population was probably already greatly reduced by habitat alteration anyway
and Mynas are probably just increasing the rate they disappear. The populations
in the Burragorang would appear to be thriving, due to less disturbed habitat
wwhich helps restrict the current (and I would bet future) Myna numbers.
Cheers,
Peter
P.S. I have also seen Noisy Miners absolutely smash Indian Mynas in my backyard
at Como (southern Sydney) which rarely had any species smaller than a Noisy
Miner visit.> From: > To: >
Subject: RE: [Birding-Aus] Allies Against foreign Invader> Date: Fri, 12 Sep
2008 16:29:27 +1000> CC: > > In relation to what you
have said Chris, is or has there been any studies> conducted to find out if
Mynahs could or are expanding their range into> wilderness areas and or other
areas of natural habitat distant from human> habitation?> > If there are Mynahs
in wilderness areas, how would we know seeing people> don't regularly access
remote wilderness regions.> I am aware of the work conducted by Dr Chris
Tideman on Mynahs in the> suburbs of the ACT but has anyone looked at current
or potential impact of> Mynahs colonizing wilderness areas?> > The most 'wild'
an area I have seen breeding Mynahs in was in a patch of> rainforest just out
of Mullumbimby in Northen NSW, but this area was bound> by farmland.> > Kurtis
Lindsay> > -----Original Message-----> From: >
On Behalf Of Chris Sanderson> Sent:
Friday, September 12, 2008 12:28 PM> To: John Leonard> Cc: Birding-aus>
Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Allies Against foreign Invader> > Hi John,> > That
doesn't mean Chris is wrong though - chances are they have filled a> niche in
the environment left vacant by extensive landclearing to build> towns and
cities, a niche that natives were unable to take advantage of> quickly enough.
It would be more concerning if Common Miners in Australia> started expanding
rapidly into wilderness areas, particularly ones not> adjacent to human
habitation. That would be great cause for concern because> then their expansion
is not just filling a vacant niche, but competing with> natives for existing
natural niches.> > Regards,> Chris> > On Fri, Sep 12, 2008 at 11:57 AM, John
Leonard> <>wrote:> > > The easiest way to approeciate
the threat to biodiversity that Common> > Mynahs represent is to note how
vastly they have expanded from a few> > small introductions to being
continously present almost all the way up> > the eastern seaboard and in inland
cities.> >> > If Noisy Miners are keeping them in check in some areas, it's
hardly> > at the macro level!> >> > John Leonard> >> > 2008/9/12 Chris Lloyd
<>:> > > So this is the species that represent such a
potent threat to Australian> > > avian biodiversity? I have 'research report'
to a NSW coastal suburb> > which> > > claims that the Common Mynah is
responsible or potentially responsible> > for,> > > inter alia, the spread of
avian influenza and salmonella, introduction> of> > > bird lice, displacement
of Rainbow Lorikeet populations, eviction of> > > Ringtails from dreys,
possessing weapons of mass destruction and being> of> > > middle eastern
appearance. Needless to say the research appears to stem> > from> > > a
purveyor of cages and gas chambers for the disposal of said species> > where> >
> they have invaded natural McMansion habitat and displaced all the> >
'natives'> > > like Noisy Miners, Rainbow Lorikeets ad nausea.> > >> > > My
experience of watching a population of Noisy Miners and Mynahs is> that> > >
the latter consistently lost their shopping centre territory to the> > >
adaptable Manorina and its asymmetric warfare tactics. Anyone living> > around>
> > the "Shire" may also have noticed that, like dominos, street trees used> >
by> > > Mynahs as communal roosts are falling to the WRX of avian world the>
sugar> > > fuelled T. Haematodus.> > > ===============================> > >
www.birding-aus.org> > > birding-aus.blogspot.com> > >> > > To unsubscribe from
this mailing list,> > > send the message:> > > unsubscribe> > > (in the body of
the message, with no Subject line)> > > to: >
> > ===============================> > >> >> >> >> > --> > John Leonard> >
Canberra> > Australia> > www.jleonard.net> > ===============================> >
www.birding-aus.org> > birding-aus.blogspot.com> >> > To unsubscribe from this
mailing list,> > send the message:> > unsubscribe> > (in the body of the
message, with no Subject line)> > to: > >
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