Hey Guys,
I am always so surprised that its taking so long for any action to be done regarding this problem. Obviously, people with traps have shown that they do work.. they might not be perfect, or have a 100% strike rate, but they go a long way.

I always thought that work-for-the-dole programs have so much to contribute to society. I know quite a few people who have participated in bush regeneration programs and loved it. I bet that there are lots of unemployed people out there who would love to build traps, catch mynas and euthanise them rather than having to fill out their quota of job applications each week! Plus, I know that participants in work programs receive a little extra pay for the days they have worked.

As a bonus, these programs could very rapidly be deployed in every town and city that is affected by these little buggers.

Such a small invenstment, such a large return.

It was good to hear David Penny's success in the local area! Feel free to come and set it up around my place

OK, I got to use this trap last weekend and caught 14 of the mynahs in it over the two days. I put it out early on Saturday morning when I knew the birds would be hunting for food, and caught two within half an hour. Once these two were in and I moved them to the cage side, they made some really bizarre noises and then at least 8 came down into the backyard to look. All in all,12 in the first day and then the remaining two on Sunday (I missed the morning rush because I slept in).

Now, I haven't seen any in my backyard since the weekend and neither has my wife. Just one question though, how do you get rid of them?

Thanks Homer,

http://sres.anu.edu.au/associated/myna/index.html

Has a section on disposal,

Disposal: Killing Mynas Safely and Humanely.

At our house we use rat traps. We feed them in for a few days, just using bread for bait, so we can see that it is indeed the Mynas taking the bait, and then we set them. We have great success and have never caught anything but Mynas.

We started our program after a pair of Mynas smothered a clutch of Galahs we had in one of our nest boxes.

Any wire cage/crate with small mesh and a mesh funnel will catch mynahs....my kids caught plenty of sparrows in their yabby cages too,but if any of the members here have chooks in a covered run you can also insert a mesh funnel into the roof mesh and then catch many mynahs....we used tennis rackets to down the trapped birds or for the squeamish you can enter the run at night with a torch and bag them up and drown them....no matter what we need to knock as many as we can over.

Jindydiver. I have heard that they nest right over the top of other birds. Is this what happened here?

- Stephen

That is exactly what happens. We went away for 2 weeks and expected to come back to chicks getting bigger and cuter and we came back to a nest box with 8 inches of plastic debris smothering the galah nest. We have seen it happen a few of times now. The galahs fight bravely but the mynas just keep throwing rubbish in quicker than the galahs can get it out.
I have pulled those nest boxes down and I will have to redesign the entrance to keep the flying rats out.

I have noticed that the galahs in this area seem to have adapted a little and now fledge much earlier. Perhaps it is in response to the mynas, or perhaps it is because of the warm winter, but either way it is giving the galahs a chance to breed before the mynas get their act together.

I applied last year to have a myna trap installed but our yard doesn’t meet the criteria (we don’t have a dog) so we just have to battle along with our own program.

Another site that should be checked out is www.indianmynaeradication.com
The Chris Tideman traps receive a lot of publicity but there are others which are more effective. The Indian Myna Eradication Program is about to become an incorporated association with volunteers required across the country to form sub associations. A new more affordable trap will be available to members plus the opportunity to really take the fight to these pest birds.

Our Landcare Group - the Ginninderra Catchment Group is getting involved with trap building workshops. Unfortunately I was ill when the first one was being held but I will get more information. Some of our members have built traps.

- Stephen

I would be very interested in any info you can find

Anything that can increase my kill rate would make me (and the parrots) very happy

Last Update: Sunday, October 8, 2006. 12:10pm (AEST)

Bird sighting fuels biosecurity fears

Conservationists warn the sighting of an indian myna bird in Launceston should sound alarm bells for the Tasmanian Government.

The bird is not widely found in Tasmania but could have a big impact on agriculture and native birds if it becomes established.

A quarantine officer saw the bird at the Launceston Airport last week and the Threatened Species Unit is urging people to report any further sightings.


Link:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200610/s1758075.htm

Please check this out-A retiree doing the best he can to get traps out in the public!:applause: http://www.mynah.nelsonbay.com/I love the info found here! Thank you so much for the intelligent discourse.

If you don't know about the Indian Myna Eradication program have a look at www.indianmynaeradication.com
Its worth keeping an eye on over the next few weeks when there will be some announcements that will take the war against these birds up several notches. You will also find an environmental disaster report plus a council action plan. Traps are also available. The program will be guided by an incorporated association forming within the next few weeks in Sydney with Sub-branches waiting to join in other states. This association will hasten the demise of these birds across five states. :idea

Hi everyone,
For those people out there wanting to trap Mynas effectively, I offer the following trapping report from Canberra. The trap used was a single Mynamagnet trap, operated by myself on the property of Mr Des Owens, Mugga Lane. The property is a Lowline Cattle stud, and as such there was a lot of alternative feed about for the birds. After initial setup the bait used was watermelon and Hills Science Diet Kitten formula. Fresh water proivided beside the trap each day. The tally after 12 days was 55 Indian Mynas and 15 Starlings. Photos are available here This was one trapping cycle.
Yes, I want to yell very loudly that these traps are special and they do work because I make them and I sell them. We have put a lot of time, effort and finance in getting these traps to the point of being a commercial reality.
Whilst we acknowledge it is a commercial enterprise (and we do not try to disguise this fact), we would also remind that a considerable percentage of our sales goes directly back to the ANU to further their research into Myna eradication.
We would also remind everyone that these traps are the only traps available that have been scientifically designed with over eight years of research going into that design.

Traps and full information available from www.mynamagnet.com

Garry Brown
Mynamagnet Australia Pty Ltd

This post has been edited by Mynamagnet: Nov 10 2006, 06:22 AM

And very satisfying pics in that link,thanks for that post.

I have a friend staying with me from Woy Woy. She has bought a cage. It has two "ends" as she describes it but nothing caught yet.

She wants to trap mynas.

I've noted the watermelon. She was putting birdseed in to no avail.

Any other suggestions please and then what should she do?

Windyliz

'windyliz' wrote:

I have a friend staying with me from Woy Woy. She has bought a cage. It has two "ends" as she describes it but nothing caught yet.

She wants to trap mynas.

I've noted the watermelon. She was putting birdseed in to no avail.

Any other suggestions please and then what should she do?

You might catch some Spotted Turtle Doves with Seed.

I was told Common Myna's are meat eaters - though I question this (certainally with Blackbirds). Department of Primary Industries (DPI) describes Common Myna as being a pest in Fruit crops - grapes is particularly mentioned, trouble is are those birds smart enough to reconise some fruit layed into a trap than a crop of it.

CP/M User.

Thanks for that.

I saw when driving though the Riverland and environs nearly two years ago all the grapes were covered in netting.

I've got quince fruiting now so stewing them before they all go to waste.

My friend, Beryl, is 85yro going on 65yro! She is amazing.

She's here primarily to help me pack as I need to move. But during the day we yak on about anything. Any everything. Politics, garden, or whatever.

I showed her this site (and said I usually flood it with what I find) primarily I got her in to look at the "overfishing" which she totally agrees with.

Then I showed her the advice given re catching mynas. OK thanks.

I then showed her s-dalder's flora and fauna on his property. She was amazed.

I'd already told her a couple of days ago about that.

We then got into politics and agree on that. See article earler today posted. Forest water and fishing. Government/s

Then I asked her what would she do if she got mynas caught in a trap she has. She says her neighbour will "dispose of them" for her.

We were also talking of the fires in her area. Woy Woy. She said no worries - the guttering is all leaking. I tore strips off her a few hours ago. Said the leaves are there. She's right next to a hill and has had 2 fires on that hill in last 30 years.

Then - talking on while she's helping me to pack I said "there's a thing called Landcare". Her Doctor says she should be more active. Said "would you consider that?" She said there is a group of people who come onto the mountain next door once a month and get down and "do it". She said she had looked at them doing it down on their knees and said to them "hey my bod would not do that although I'd love to"

She's recently taken lawn bowls which is great I think and she is enjoying so much.

Once when staying there I spied a domesticated rabbit - got loose - was early evening - so tried to chase it up the mountain with a sarong on (was hot) and no shoes and towel to try and get it. Very elusive. And I was worried about it.

Didn't manage to get it - too elusive and hiding in the terrain and probably scared. But neighbour got it some time later.

And apart from that we yak on about plants all day while packing.

As I say she is an amazing person.

Regarding my earlier post about the Mynamagnet traps, we have now commercialized another trap developed here in Canberra by Peter Green. This trap is smaller in size than the Mynamagnet, is easier to handle, does not require free-feeding and is considerably less expensive. The trap is called the MiniMyna and is extremely effective, with catches of up to 20 birds at a time recorded. Details available at : www.mynamagnet.com

With reference to the watermelon bait, Mynas are opportunistic feeders, and will take advantage of any food that is available. The reason for using meat or dog/cat food to attract them is to limit the numbers of native species that will also be attracted. Magpies, pee-wees, currawongs, butcher birds and kookaburras do tend to feed on the baits, however trapping these species is unlikely because of the physical size of the walkins on the traps and these species behaviour once inside the trap. If a pee-wee or butcher bird is caught it is simple a case of releasing the bird from the trap unharmed.

Garry Brown
Mynamagnet Australia

For those that can't afford nearly $200 for the minimyna trap, you can make your own (by yourself or with help at a working bee) using the plans for the trap from this site.
http://www.indianmynaaction.org.au/
The materials cost around $30, and the construction isn't very difficult.
These guys have been working hard to get rid of mynas from the Canberra area and have a pretty impressive tally up.



(and yes, Peter Green approves of the making and using of his traps by individuals)