Birding-Aus Digest, Vol 85, Issue 10

Playing with pussies.

Stephen’s reference on cats seemed more directed to one’s own pet pussy rather than to the problem of general protection of wildlife, (as outlines in the reference, an eye watering problem) from feral or uncontrolled domestic moggies.

Here in Mulgoa we have largely eliminated them by using possum traps, most successfully baited with commercial cat food, which is so good that I suspect that it contains pheromones. Our friendly vet euthanises them with a simple almost instantly fatal injection of some description.

However, it is a continuous process, a trap is kept permanently set, and over the past six months no cats caught. Just the occasional cheeky Magpie, one of which, named “Violin” after the pattern on its. wings and back, and he/she kept returning until the trap was relocated beyond their ken.

As an aside, other than by behaviour, can Australian Magpies be sexed on appearance.?

Cheers

Michael

Sent from my iPhone

> On 18 Nov 2020, at 4:00 am, birding-aus-request@birding-aus.org wrote:
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> Today’s Topics:
>
> 1. Cats and birds (stephen prowse)
> 2. Re: Indian Mynah control (Rod Warnock)
> 3. Re: Indian Mynah control (Penny Brockman)
>
>
> ———————————————————————-
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2020 10:01:17 +1000
> From: stephen prowse < stephenjprowse@gmail.com>
> To:
birding-aus@birding-aus.org
> Subject: [Birding-Aus] Cats and birds
> Message-ID:
> < CABzNmuxDH2YdBBWsJ1vzgrtXng4O7yc0yFkEMbAKPMfuS92saA@mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=”utf-8″
>
> There is good evidence that both domestic and feral cats have a serious
> adverse impact on avifauna.
>
> Birds Queensland has produced a brochure that encourages people to better
> manage their cats.
>
> This brochure may be found and downloaded here:
>
>
birdsqueensland.org.au/cat_safety_brochure.php
>
> Please download and use wisely. We feel that it is important not to be seen
> as anti-cat but to persuade people, Councils and State Governments to move
> towards improved cat management. Aggressive anti-cat positions are
> polarising and will achieve nothing.
>
> Cheers
>
> Stephen
>
>
> Dr Stephen Prowse
> Research Translation Consultant
> Chair – Protect the Bush Alliance
> Conservation Officer Birds Queensland
> www.ptba.org.au
> www.birdsqueensland.org.au
> 0419371134
> stephenjprowse@gmail.com
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> ——————————
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> Message: 2
> Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2020 14:27:20 +1100
> From: Rod Warnock < rw5666@gmail.com>
> To: Michael Hunter <
drmhunter@westnet.com.au>
> Cc: “<
birding-aus@birding-aus.org>” < birding-aus@birding-aus.org>
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Indian Mynah control
> Message-ID:
> <
CAE-VREn96TiLqmuuj1=RY=Abb2EbCXyse2GYmcj8RL-mCiq+mQ@mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=”utf-8″
>
> When I arrived in Kilaben Road ,Kilaben Bay on Lake MacQuarie 40 years ago
> I was plagued with Indian Mynas.
> I planted Grevilleas and Bottlebrushes and in came Noisy Miners after the
> above native plantings within 12 months the Indian Mynas vanished. No
> baiting etc they simply vanished. All I planted were as above.
> Best regards
> Rod Warnock PhD AFIAP
> Nature: The Cathedral of Awe !!
> Rod Warnock Bird and Wildlife Photography
>
www.rodwarnockphotography.com
>
>
> On Mon, Nov 16, 2020 at 2:41 PM Michael Hunter < drmhunter@westnet.com.au>
> wrote:
>
>> Indian Mynahs are a pestilence on much of Sydney’s suburbia.
>>
>> They can be virtually totally eliminated by blocking their nesting
>> cavities, which are invariably under the eaves of houses, often via gutters.
>>
>> Trapping and wringing their necks (“euthanising”) is never ending,
>> stopping them from breeding is permanent.
>>
>> In Suburbia it would be a big deal for all houses to block off, but should
>> be a program instituted by all the relevant Councils.
>>
>> Education pamphlets distributed to all households, possibly the provision
>> of mobile teams of ladder men with a supply of old (“nylon”) socks or wire
>> netting would get completely rid of these “flying rats”.
>>
>> Hopefully the return of many small native bird spp. to suitable areas
>> would follow. Particularly areas without uncontrolled cat populations .
>>
>> I can personally vouch for this. The only Indian Mynah nest in a tree
>> cavity that I have seen was short lived thanks to either goannas or other
>> hole nesting birds . Not applicable in most of infested Suburbia.
>>
>> Yours Very Sincerely
>>
>> Michael Hunter.
>>
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>


>>
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> Message: 3
> Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2020 15:44:38 +1100
> From: “Penny Brockman” < penny@pennydb.org>
> To: “Charles Hunter via Birding-Aus” <
birding-aus@birding-aus.org>
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Indian Mynah control
> Message-ID: <
7014a689-5a53-4ce4-b9f4-3ff8f951d13e@www.fastmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=”utf-8″
>
> I have no mynas except in summer occasional visiting pair that nest in nearby old red gum. Garden has almost no grass, thickly planted natives. Noisy miners are common southern end town around parks, sales yard, hospital and high school. And nearby river flats with cattle and crops. Lots dodgy house roofs and old gums for nest sites. However in 18 years residence myna numbers are going up. Nobody cares enough to trap consistently and I?m too old and increpit to manage such a program as well as problem of disposal.
>
> Like all problems with weeds it?s only when the infestation gets enormous and starts causing economic problems that anybody takes action.
>
> ——————–
> Penny Brockman
>
>
>> On Tue, 17 Nov 2020, at 2:27 PM, Rod Warnock wrote:
>> When I arrived in Kilaben Road ,Kilaben Bay on Lake MacQuarie 40 years ago I was plagued with Indian Mynas.
>> I planted Grevilleas and Bottlebrushes and in came Noisy Miners after the above native plantings within 12 months the Indian Mynas vanished. No baiting etc they simply vanished. All I planted were as above.
>> Best regards
>> Rod Warnock PhD AFIAP
>> Nature: The Cathedral of Awe !!
>> Rod Warnock Bird and Wildlife Photography
>>
www.rodwarnockphotography.com
>>
>>
>>
>>> On Mon, Nov 16, 2020 at 2:41 PM Michael Hunter < drmhunter@westnet.com.au> wrote:
>>> Indian Mynahs are a pestilence on much of Sydney’s suburbia.
>>>
>>> They can be virtually totally eliminated by blocking their nesting cavities, which are invariably under the eaves of houses, often via gutters.
>>>
>>> Trapping and wringing their necks (“euthanising”) is never ending, stopping them from breeding is permanent.
>>>
>>> In Suburbia it would be a big deal for all houses to block off, but should be a program instituted by all the relevant Councils.
>>>
>>> Education pamphlets distributed to all households, possibly the provision of mobile teams of ladder men with a supply of old (“nylon”) socks or wire netting would get completely rid of these “flying rats”.
>>>
>>> Hopefully the return of many small native bird spp. to suitable areas would follow. Particularly areas without uncontrolled cat populations .
>>>
>>> I can personally vouch for this. The only Indian Mynah nest in a tree cavity that I have seen was short lived thanks to either goannas or other hole nesting birds . Not applicable in most of infested Suburbia.
>>>
>>> Yours Very Sincerely
>>>
>>> Michael Hunter.
>>>
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>

>>>
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>>

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