Without saying what others should think about this, I shall offer what I
think. I do not subscribe to the demonization of the C Myna. They are
successful inhabitants of the built environment; it has been said they do
not occur out of sight of human habitation. Most birds in the suburbs are
here because they have adapted to the suburbs, some very successfully,
perhaps having exploded as a result of European alteration of the wider
environment (ie much of Australia), like Galahs, magpies, magpie-larks and
Crested Pigeons. Goshawks and sparrowhawks also prosper in this artificial
environment because of the abundance of easy targets, whether introductions
or new artificial-habitat-exploiters (in particular Crested Pigeons). Of
course in this suburban zoo different species that would never interact in
the ('natural') wild press upon one another, hence, eg the annual cleaning
out of blackbird nests by nesting P Currawongs, and screeching competition
for hollows by the exotic-seed-raised abundance of hollow-nesters. See
heroes, villains and victims in these interactions if you wish.
I recall a BASNA seminar a few years ago where one researcher demonstrated
that the Noisy Miner was a greater threat to small birds than the C Myna. I
believe this has been linked to health of the woodlands. Indeed, there is a
project on the south Coast aimed at reducing Bell Miner concentrations for
that reason.
-----Original Message-----
From: Leo Berzins
Sent: Wednesday, 25 February 2009 10:11 PM
To: Cog line
Subject: Myna thuggery
It's not always like this (thankfully).
A couple of weeks ago in our Queanbeyan backyard, one of the local young
Magpie-larks (only three or four weeks since fledging) was doing his best to
find his own food in the backyard. He had just enjoyed a drink at our
birdbath with his wonderful mother (another story in itself) who had flown
off, probably to check on the more dependent of her two youngsters.
A pair of mynas had turned up and were waiting for a drink from the birdbath
in the hot weather and one of them thought his time had come when the mother
Magpie-lark had flown off and only a single juvenile remained, fossicking on
the ground. But within a few seconds of landing on the edge of the birdbath,
the myna was confronted by the young Magpie-lark, who, in no uncertain
terms, conveyed the message that the myna was not welcome and promptly
resumed control of the birdbath.
At the risk of sounding a tad anthropomorphic, I must confess to feeling
considerable pride on behalf of one of our newest local residents. I'm not
sure if the result would have been the same if there were more than two
mynas (or is it just that the mynas may have been only youngsters
themselves?).
Regards,
Leo.
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