Bird more than a myna problem
OLD books about our wildlife are fascinating, at least I find them so.
While sorting through a number of books in my study, I stopped to read one that is titled The Useful Birds of Southern Australia, published by T. C. Lothian in 1907.
The author was prominent ornithologist Robert Hall.
Hall had no particular affinity with Geelong apart from one thing — he took a young Geelong birdman Ernest Trebilcock on an extraordinary expedition to the delta of the Lena River in Siberia just a few years earlier.
While his book describes many of our native birds, he also lists the species that were introduced into Australia in the latter part of the nineteenth century.
The Indian myna (Hall’s name for the common myna) was brought into Melbourne between 1863 and 1872, according to Hall, with the total number released just more than 150 individuals.
He commented at the time “No more are needed”.
Although, he doesn’t say why.
He liked the bird apparently — “it is fond of the society of man, makes cheerful the environment of the cities, and, except for a slight damage to fruit, is generally to be commended.”
I wonder what his assessment of the myna would be if he was here now.
Although they were well established in Melbourne early in the 20th century, it was not until the 1950s that they reached Geelong.
They continue to spread, and earlier this week there were two seen beside Cape Otway Road just north of Birregurra.
Mynas are detested by many people, partly due to their strident, harsh voice and brash nature.
They are seen as a serious pest because they nest in tree hollows, thus denying the site to native birds.
There have been suggestions we should trap and kill them in a hope that this will help control them.
It won’t unless it is done continually on all private and public land, an unrealistic goal in a diverse area like Geelong.
Perhaps their spread could be halted if new colonies are destroyed before becoming established, but even that would be difficult to manage effectively. Wildlife information and questions can be sent to ppescott@gmail.com