THE Central West Indian Myna Action Group held its inaugural meeting this month to raise awareness of the impact Indian myna birds could have on the region and look at ways to stop their spread following recent sightings in the area.
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Group spokesman John McCrea, from the Cudgegong Field Naturalists Society, said that Indian mynas have become well established along the eastern coast of NSW since they were introduced to Australia in the 1860s.
“These birds have been spotted in various parts of our region including Dubbo, Dunedoo and Mudgee,” he said.
Mr McCrea said the birds were known for their aggressive and territorial nature as they competed with native birds for food, water and shelter.
“To the landholder this bird damages horticultural fruit, cereal crops and stock feed, spreads agricultural weeds and fouls water supplies,” Mr McCrea said.
Project leader with the NSW Department of Primary Industries’ invasive animals co-operative research centre, Peter West, introduced the group to a mobile website known as MynaScan (www.feralscan.org.au/mynascan), which is used to record sightings of the bird.
“The website can be used in conjunction with the freely downloadable mobile phone app The Field Guide to Pest Animals of Australia to help people to correctly identify the Indian myna and other pest animals,” Mr West said.
Mr West said correctly identifying the Indian myna bird was critical, as there were many protected native birds that could be mistaken for the Indian myna.
The group consists of representatives from Central West Local Land Services, local government, Landcare, the Invasive Animals Co-operative Research Centre and the Dubbo and Cudgegong field naturalists societies.
tracey.prisk@fairfaxmedia.com.au
