I do understand and
share everybody's hatred of Common Mynas and all the rest, but the truth is
we're never going to get rid of them and we might as well just accept them as
part of the Australian avifauna. Does anybody really imagine we could ever
really wipe out every last Myna, or even most of them? And then what about the
Starlings, the Sparrows, the Blackbirds rabbits cats blackberries etc? Even if
it were possible, it would cost billions and would be a perpetual battle which
would need to involve most of the Australian population. It's never going to
happen.
There are far worse threats to
the environment and thus to birds, including logging, mining, pollution and
overpopulation. I am sure that any one of us in a single day causes far more
harm to natural habitats than the most gigantic flock of Mynas or Starlings ever
could, via our use of cars, plastics, meat and so on. If we really want to help
native birds, we'd do better to start mass-murdering human-beings, not birds.
(N.B. John Howard: this is a JOKE, not a terrorist or
unpatriotic threat!)
In the meantime, all we can do
is plant lots of native stuff in our gardens and do our little bit to preserve
bits of local habitat. And learn to love the bloody Mynas!
Best wishes, Limosa
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