Fighting Mynahs at the Howqua Bridge
If you've stopped at the Howqua bridge lately, you may have noticed some new and rather noisy residents. Indian Mynahs have found their way into our valley, and the Howqua Valley Landcare Group and the Howqua Macs Cove Community group has been working quietly over the past six months to try to stop them getting a foothold. Here's what we've been doing, why it matters, and how you can lend a hand.
Why Indian Mynahs are a problem
The Indian Mynah is an introduced pest species, and it has earned a reputation as one of the most troublesome birds in the country. Mynahs are aggressive towards other birds and tend to operate with a pack-like mentality, ganging up to drive natives away from feeding sites.
Mynahs also take over the tree hollows our native birds depend on for nesting, and hollows are already in short supply in country still recovering from fire. Much like cuckoos, they'll commandeer an existing nest, tossing out the eggs or even building their own nest right on top of the fledglings. For birds like parrots, rosellas and pardalotes, that's a direct hit on their ability to breed.
From Benalla to the Howqua bridge
Mynahs have been common around Benalla for some time, and they're seen less often in Mansfield. Until last summer, as far as we know, there were none at all near Howqua or Jamieson.
That changed about nine months ago, when the first Mynahs were spotted at the Howqua bridge. Unfortunately, numbers have built up since then, and they're now a common sight there. That's exactly the pattern we want to interrupt before they spread further up the valley.
The trapping program
The group purchased a purpose-built Mynah trap from the Benalla Men's Shed, and it's been in place at the Howqua bridge for around six months now. It sits tucked in among the rocks beneath the bridge, baited with cheap dog kibble, which Mynahs find hard to resist.
Keeping an eye on a trap is a team effort, and we've been very grateful for the help of the Howqua Macs Cove Community Group, whose members have been pitching in with monitoring.
Our first catch
After months of patience, we've finally had a breakthrough: two Mynahs were recently caught in the trap, the first we've trapped since the program began. Trapped birds are humanely euthanised.
Two birds might not sound like much, but it's an encouraging start and proof that the trap works at this site. Mynahs are clever and wary, so we're hoping this is the first of many, and we'll be continuing our efforts for as long as it takes.
How you can help
If you're passing the Howqua bridge and spot any birds in the trap, please let one of us know and we'll take care of them:
Andy Matenson: 0434 053 566
Claire Gerrard: 0498 132 060
Please don't disturb the trap or release any birds yourself. If a native bird has somehow found its way in, give us a call and we'll sort it out.
Every Mynah removed is one less bird competing with our natives for food and nesting hollows. With a few extra sets of eyes from the local community, we've got a real chance of keeping the Howqua Valley a haven for the birds that belong here.
