Comments on Mynahs Birds

These birds are a menace !  perhaps the falconry clubs can get involved in a bit of “natural selection” J

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We could always try the technique the hero uses in Bryce Courtenay’s book ‘Matthew Flinders Cat’!

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these birds are a serious pain in the garden. They breed in the ceilings of peoples houses and are terrible bullies and will soon rid your gardens of Babblers, Huglin's Robins and even pigeons.

Not a nice bird and, unfortunately, very prolific

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Saw your email re Indian Mynahs. i lived in India for two years and loved to watch them. They imitate the sound of all the other birds, and are very clever. one family had made a nest in the air condition unit in my bedroom (you know those old brown boxes that you build into the wall). We emptied it and cleaned it out only to find them creeping around the window sill, waiting and watching for a chance to sneak back in... it was quite amusing. And you are right they are very daring and hard to get rid of,  (almost impossible) we had to finally put something in the box as a deterrent because it was interfering with how the AC worked.

 

In that area they seemed to co-exist with the other birds in the territory. Of course all bigger birds, like sparrows, drongos, kingfisher, crows, cuckoos, orioles, coppersmith barbets etc 

 

Which birds do they chase away? would it be the smaller birds, like sunbirds, waxbills, finches etc? I'm curious to know

Or is it because they are new to this territory they are chasing away ALL the birds? i.e. just like plants that are not indigenous overtake the local ones? and once they have been around for a while they will all settle down again?

 

Also what would be the reason for them to move so far out of their usual migration path? I think they are mostly found along the Cape? and maybe as far as Joburg? or am I wrong? Swati

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I quite agree that the Mynah Birds are very and aggressive and invasive. Having travelled extensively in areas where they have become a big problem this system has to be addressed sooner than later or we are going to have a problem such as crocodiles, quelias birds etc. One suggestion which will probably not go down so well with some people is that these birds should be destroyed on sight other whys in the not so distant future we are going to have a big problem. Brgds, Brian. B

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