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To: |
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Subject: |
mynahs again |
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From: |
andrew stafford <> |
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Date: |
Thu, 20 Apr 2000 04:39:17 -0700 (PDT) |
G'day Paul (and punters)
It would be safe to say that the last decade has seen
Common Mynahs establish themselves firmly in Brisbane.
The birds of course were moderately abundant on the
Darling Downs for many years before (though perhaps
not at the hyper levels of inner and suburban Sydney
and Melbourne). The birds slowly but surely encroached
into the western suburbs. Like you, I have no data,
but your theory would seem to hold water and I would
imagine the Warrego and Cunningham highways played an
important role in the spread. Persistent droughts in
the mid-90s may also have pushed them towards the
coast.
I vividly recall going to a Test match at the famous
Gabba in summer '96 along with Chris Corben and Lisa
Hug, who'd returned to Australia for a holiday. Early
in the day I spotted a Mynah emerging from some
scaffolding. Chris was disbelieving at first - Mynahs
in inner Brisbane were unheard of when he left the
country - and then enraged when I pointed it out.
"Kill!" he said, aiming an imaginary firearm. (Ian
Healy made his highest Test score that day against the
West Indies, which was some compensation).
Having just returned to Brisbane after the best part
of three years in Sydney, I can report (since no one
else seems to done so yet) that Mynahs are now
virtually a daily sight here. They seem to be most
common in parks and reserves, often near water,
suggesting they haven't yet entirely adapted
themselves to the scrounging urbanite ways of their
brethren to the north and south. But they are here,
from Ipswich to the coast, and I predict they will
increase exponentially as each generation becomes more
adapted to city life.
Back to my box then.
Cheers
AS
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