Stopping the Invasion
Trapping alone will not
keep the Indian mynas under control. Mynas thrive where there is easy access to
food. You can reduce their available food source in the following ways:
Seed for native birds
will attract Indian Mynas and they will quickly dominate your garden. If you
see Mynas at your bird feeder or in your garden, stop putting out birdseed
immediately.
Feed pets inside, or if
that is not possible, put pet food inside during the day.
Feed chickens and ducks
in a secure pen so Mynas can’t get to the food.
If you feed goats or horses,
it is best to stay with the animals while they are feeding and clean up spilled
or leftover pellets or grain.
Cover your compost heaps
and close rubbish bins so that food is not available
Breaking the
cycle
Mynas nest in tree
hollows, roofs, exotic trees and the dead fronds of palms. To break the cycle:
- Block holes in roofs and
eaves.
- Keep palms well-trimmed
- Avoid planting clumps of
exotic species such as Cocos Palm (Cocos
plumosa), Slash Pine (Pinus elliotii),
Radiata Pine (Pinus radiata) and
Umbrella Tree (Schefflera actinophylla),
as these are all preferred Indian Myna roosting trees.
Planting a wide range of
local native plant species in your garden will provide a diversity of habitats
for native birds.
Indian mynas prefer
foraging in area with a clear understorey. Gardens with a reduced lawn area
containing a mixture of native trees, shrubs and herbs, especially with a dense
understorey, will attract a variety of birdlife without providing suitable
habitats for Mynas.
Trapping
You can help reduce the
impact of Indian mynas by trapping them in your garden or local area. The aim
of trapping is to reduce the Indian myna population, thereby reducing the
threat to native birds and animals. Reducing the existing Indian Myna population
by trapping requires the humane handling of captured birds.
The Pee Gee
Trap
YIMAG coordinates the
manufacture and sale of the Pee Gee Myna Trap.

Pee Gee Myna Trap
Trapping
Instructions
- Place the trap in a relatively open area
- Put feed and water in the trapping chamber for the
captured birds
- Put a plate of food in the feeding chamber with
dried cat food or other suitable food.
Use a white plate, or the food can be placed directly on the ground if
placing the trap on a hard surface such as concrete or tin.
- Free food (food placed inside the walk-ins and
outside the trap) can be useful to attract birds, especially when introducing a
trap to a new location.
- Do not approach the trap in daylight hours.
- Check the trap daily.
- Remove trapped Indian mynas after dusk and reset the
trap ready for the next day.
- A call bird left in the trap can help to attract
more birds. Call birds cannot be left in the trap for longer than 24 hours.
- Location is important - so if you are not successful
in catching Indian mynas in one location, it might be worth trying a different
one.
Location,
location, location
The location and
positioning of your trap can spell the success or failure of any trapping
program. If you aren’t having any success trapping mynas it might be as easy as
moving the trap to another spot.
- Place the trap in a relatively open area or where birds
already feed, or areas they overlook from vantage points such as trees or
fences
- Place the trap where there are minimal people or
animal traffic (e.g. behind shed or carport).
Under powerlines can be good as they often perch on powerlines where
they have good access and views.
Baiting and
feeding
- The trap can be baited with any food the Indian
mynas are accustomed to feeding on.
- For ongoing trapping, dried cat food is recommended
as it is simple to use, the right size, and has plenty of red bits (e.g.
Friskies or Whiskas dry cat food), which the Indian Mynas are attracted to
first.
- Chook food and grain is not recommended as this will
attract native birds (e.g. crested pigeons and parrots).
- Place clean fresh water and cat food in the trapping
chamber – the idea being the trapped birds will be happy and will call other
birds to the area (to be trapped!).
- It is recommended that food is placed on a white
plate. Other coloured plates are
acceptable but it has been suggested white plates may help the birds to see the
food.
- For the first few days put a small amount of loose
feed outside the funnel entrances to attract mynas to the trap area. Also place food in the tunnel, and inside the
feeding chamber where the mynas can see the food directly in front of them when
they are in the tunnel.
- Do not overfeed the birds outside the trap.
- Do not attend to the trap in daylight if
possible. Removing birds, or baiting the
trap should be done after dusk or at night so the birds don’t associate the
trap with danger.
- It is recommended that the trap is baited ready for
trapping first thing in the morning as birds start searching for food on the
crack of dawn.
- If crows and/or magpies are attracted to the site,
funnels can be placed over the entrance to the trapping chamber to prevent them
taking any free food in the walk-ins or in the feeding chamber. They are too big to fit through the walk-ins
and get into the trap.
- If foxes or other animals attend to the trap, it may
need to be secured with pegs. Placing bricks in the holding cage may also
prevent other animals over turning the trap and removing the bait.
General
- Keep pets (particularly cats and dogs) away from the
trap and trap area.
- Do not be disappointed if you don’t catch birds
every day. They are spasmodic in their movements, so be persistent. If you keep feeding they will return.
- It can be useful to keep a call bird in the
containment chamber of your trap, or in a bird cage placed near the trap, as
this may encourage others to the trap.
Avoid stressing the trapped bird(s).
- Check the trap regularly. Non target species are caught from time to
time, and can be allowed to escape by opening the door of the trapping
chamber. Do not throw birds in the air –
let them find their own way out.