Deep inside their HQ in the former Narrabri railway goods yard complex, Men’s Shed members are busy building traps which may signal the obliteration of the Indian Myna bird population in Narrabri.
Indian Mynas are an introduced species, a pest animal, imported into Australia as a biological control in the 1860s.
Since then they have proliferated along the Eastern seaboard and taken over from our native birds and animals, driving them out of their habitat.
“The Mynas move into tree hollows which are the habitat and breeding areas of native birds and marsupials, eject or kill the occupants and destroy their eggs” Myna eradication spokespeople say.
Mynas may have flown under the radar of many in the community, but they are apparently much in evidence in Narrabri shire backyards and gardens.
Many Australian towns and cities, from Cairns to Canberra, have conducted successful Myna eradication programs and Narrabri looks like being next.
The Men’s Shed has acquired the plans for special Indian Myna bird traps, a complicated piece of equipment with several doors and two cages which are necessary to outwit the cunning Myna.
The Mynas are hard to catch, but the Men’s Shed is equal to the task and at their pre-Christmas garage sale, displayed a prototype bird trap and took orders from customers. “We booked more than 20 orders for the traps” said Men’s Shed president John McLean. “A lot of people want them.” The Men’s Shed team will begin a production line and soon the traps will be out in shire gardens doing their job.
“Each trap will be accompanied by an information leaflet” said John.
“There are certain things which must be observed by the trapper to be successful, because the Mynas are very clever.”