Hello John
It is disturbing that there are so many mynas in your area and increasing. There have not been any mynas in my area for over 5years, I and others in the area have trapped them out and they have not returned. There are two trappers within 200m of my place that I know of, there may be more.
Would you like to help rid the ACT by operating a trap? There is a shortage of traps at present but you could make your own (there are instructions on how to make one on the CIMAG website)or borrow mine.
Peter
Several weeks ago I reported a myna event here in Nicholls. I had not seen mynas much at all for some months which was quite pleasing, although blackbirds are increasing. Then one day a surprising mixed flock of about 100 ‘pest species’ made a huge commotion – about 50 mynas, 30 starlings and 20 blackbirds. While the whole flock eventually took off to the north, since then myna numbers have greatly increased here which is a worry.
An interesting but worrying observation is the changed behaviour of the mynahs. When we had a lot here a few years ago, they were mainly encountered in my garden, digging and generally being a nuisance. Although the numbers are now even greater, after the lull I mentioned, the mynas are behaving more like native woodland birds. They are nesting on Mt Percival and I have seen them diving into Ginninderra Creek to drink (like Red Wattlebirds do) and acrobatically catching insects in the air (like the Flycatchers and Fantails do.)
This is very anecdotal and unscientific but it worries me that they are showing such adaptive skills.
