MAJOR HELP NEEDED FOR A MYNA PROBLEM!

SEEKING YOUR HELP WITH RECORDING AN INVASIVE BIRD SPECIES! 

A Common Myna, AKA Indian Myna (Acridotheres tristis) was sighted in Thurgoona yesterday, crossing Kerr Rd just south of Thurgoona Drive. 

The sighting was made by Rob Fenton, head lecturer at the National Environment Centre. 

As many of you know, this introduced bird has not yet colonised Albury Wodonga, and our community MUST do everything it can to STOP it happening!

Yesterday's sighting has been added to Albury Wodonga Nature Map (AWNM) - https://albury-wodonga.naturemapr.org/sightings/4384227

This is the first record on AWNM, and a Facebook Post yesterday by Albury Conservation Company triggered a lively conversation with locals who have seen them in Wodonga for a couple of years, and at various places recently around Albury - including Thurgoona (e.g. Woolworths loading bay) and Table Top.

It seems that the small number of registered sightings don't accurately reflect the full extent of the bird's presence in Albury Wodonga.

This is why WE ARE ASKING FOR YOUR HELP!  

Please be on the LOOK-OUT and RECORD this species.

These birds are seriously bad news for our native birds and other small animals. They are fiercely territorial and use their numbers to aggressively defend their territory. During the breeding season they take over tree hollows from native birds and small animals (such as Squirrel gliders) after harassing and evicting them. They build and defend several nests during the breeding season although they only use one nest — this excludes native hollow nesting birds and animals from those nesting sites. They kill chicks and destroy the eggs of native birds.

Please TAKE A PHOTO and UPLOAD YOUR SIGHTING to Albury Wodonga Nature Map. 

The data your provide will be immediately visible on NatureMapr, and will be harvested by the Atlas of Living Australia. 

This is the first step to getting a handle of the extent of the problem, with the next step being to bring together key stakeholders and community to develop a plan to tackle it. 

THANKS IN ADVANCE!