Belly, yes I feel that myna birds are not a major problem.

There are many hundreds of feral plant and animal species in Australia. There is a continuum from extremely damaging species to totally benign ones. There are many ferals that are not of any concern or only of minor concern. I’d say that mynas are in this category.

I’ve observed them in north Queensland for thirty years. They are abundant in built-up areas and intensive agricultural areas.

I’m a mad birdo. I can attest that just about the full suite of native birds still abound throughout these areas, despite the highly altered landscape. So mynas don’t out-compete them for nest sites, destroy their eggs or young to any great extent or otherwise disadvantage the native birds. And they don’t live in the bush or even in grazing country.

Some native species such as noisy miners and pied currawongs are much worse, in Brisbane and further south. They are really aggressive and have come to rule the roost in intensively humanised landscapes. But even then, there are various other native birds that persist and do well.

<< prickly pear nearly beat us cane toads have >>

Well, we certainly knocked the stuffing out of prickly pear. Mind you, it is still around, along the edge of the beach all over the place, and well inland in the brigalow country. But it is now in balance with natural and semi-natural grazing ecosystems and is no longer a concern.

There are however other species of cactus that are looming as major threats: http://www.daff.qld.gov.au/4790_10188.htm
http://www.daff.qld.gov.au/4790_10179.htm

As for cane toads, yes they do initial damage, but then they come into balance with their new ecosystems pretty quickly. In north Queensland where there have been toads for many years, we still have healthy populations of most animals that were initially impacted. And ravens and some other birds have learnt to flip toads on their back and thus be able to eat them while avoiding the poison glands.

Um… what’s this thread about? Oh yeah, myrtle rust! Oow! ( :>|

Ludwig I suspect the rust will harm me much more.
But stand by my thoughts on those birds.
See I live in semi rural area and am infested by them.
They have remove ridge capping and nested in my roof, the nests are dense,and inflammable.
Beach side trees hold hundreds at night, screech noise .
They kill other birds, native myners included.
My whole garden is a bird welcoming thing.
They eat unripe fruit, out hunt all but pea wees and Willy wag tails.
My veranda roof, tank water, is white with you know what.
Councils up and down 1.000 klm of east coast help kill them.
If bird flue comes no other species is equip to carry it as much as them.
Large flocks close contact with humans and will even to invade homes to feed.
My kingdom/garden for a poison!/slug gun!

Belly: But a female poster ripped flesh of! telling me she was an expert and I should hear and act on her advice,

I wouldn't worry about her, Belly. She most likely learnt her stuff out of a book at a Uni somewhere. All these crazies do. She has probably never seen one in the wild.

I have seen Minors gang up & attack local birds even when they arn't nesting. They love dog food but not if you put rat sack with it. They are very inteligent.

Lugwig: imported goods in order to stop organisms which propagate themselves via minute spores.

You would have thought that Customs would have picked it up in Quarrantine, knowing how pedantic they are.

Myrtaceae species.

Ah ha, thats the one.

ravens and some other birds have learnt to flip toads on their back and thus be able to eat them while avoiding the poison glands.

True, but it took 40 odd years to learn that trick. I found a dead Brown snake & a dead toad beside one another a few months back. The Brown didn't look like it enjoyed the experience

jayb yes well she quoted her uni credentials, and in truth took to me every chance she got, on any subject.
Please do not get me wrong, I love women, every shape and size.
But turn right off at the first sign of over control.
I think I see a great deal of it around, women wanting to not just change but dominate men.
Fat chance around me.
Starlings? thats what a lot call these things, sure the name is as we say but gee!
Had visit from builder, a local this morning, he spoke about putting roof on my veranda.
And received a present from these as they flew over.
You are right they know rat sack.
how long will it take to learn about slug guns?

Belly: But turn right off at the first sign of over control.

I know what you mean. I got a wife like that. My defence, "Ah Ha, Hmmmm. Ah ha, Hmmmmm." Then do my own thing. When she gets controlling. When she gets cranky, I just smile. Hmmm, come to think of it that's what I do to all controllers. Agree with them, but let them know you're being condescending, & smile a lot. And, never get into a prolonged argument with them. Come back later with the facts & just give it to them & walk away smiling. They know. Gees, I'm a bastard. ;-)

I told that "Ah ha hmmm" to our Vietnamese guide. He went home & tried it on his wife. She said, "Don't come that crap with me." or the Vietnamese equivalent & threw him out for the night. I had a great laugh but he didn't think it was funny.

Starlings. I've never had any dealings with them, but they tell me there are bad.

Minors know what Daisys are & they will clear off until you go inside, then come back. They can even spot you trying to hide.

Belly, even if mynas are as bad as you think, they are but one of hundreds of feral species that have a similar or worse level of impact on our native species and environment.

If we were successful in eradicating mynas, which would come at great expense and difficulty, we would hardly achieve a thing in the bigger picture.

We’d still have sparrows, rock doves (feral pigeons), spotted turtle-doves, nutmeg mannikins, kelp gulls and other feral birds, as well as out-of-balance over-aggressive native species like pied currawongs, noisy miners and rainbow lorikeets in our urban and agricultural areas.

Much better that we put our efforts into other things and leave the established feathered ferals alone!

I’d suggest that it is much more important to make sure that the eradication of new feral species is given top priority. I mean all ferals, including plants, animals, birds, fungi, fish, molluscs, algae, etc.

Tim Low’s book; Feral Future (http://www.timlow.com/books/feral-future) makes the point that ferals are here to stay, once they become established and that we had better get used to the fact that our ecology has changed irreversibly, due to hundreds of species of ferals….

…and due to one species of feral that is worse than all the others combined – non-indigenous humans!!

But we can stop new ones from worsening the situation if we put our minds to it.

And (look out, here goes Ludwig with his trademark rant...) we can stop the worst feral of all from becoming ever-worse if we just get it into our heads to achieve a stable population and sustainable society !! !! !! !! ( : > )

Now THAT'S what we should be spending our mental energies and money on. Not myna birds or other well-established minor ferals!