Native birds can be significant pests, but they are generally protected under law. Managing native bird problems often require special permits and and the actions that can be taken are limited…
Bird problems related to native bird species can be complicated. As a general rule, it is an offence to harm, kill or remove a native animal unless you hold a special licence or permit (not the standard pest control licence), and even then, sometimes additional permissions are required. There are also variations by state, so it is important to modify the general information provided below according to local requirements. The bottom line is, native bird management strategies need to be carefully thought through before implementation.
Silver gull
The silver gull is found throughout coastal Australia and in a few inland areas. With an omnivorous diet it has adapted to urban areas, picking up human food from refuse tips, garbage bins and indeed anywhere there’s an easy meal. Around tourist areas and shopping areas, some silver gulls have become aggressive when ‘begging’ for food, as a result of people feeding them scraps (either intentionally or through leaving food behind). As the silver gull is a big bird, it makes a lot of noise and a lot of mess! Apart from the disturbance they cause, there are concerns regarding disease and parasite transmission. Silver gulls can also be a serious safety concern around airports and have been involved in hundreds of ‘bird strikes’ with aeroplanes.
The key management action, which is best implemented on an area-wide basis, is to restrict access to potential food sources. Making an area less attractive to silver gulls involves efficient waste management and education i.e. ensuring the public are warned not to feed the birds. Exclusion from buildings can be achieved using bird spikes or repellent gels.
Welcome swallow
The welcome swallow is considered a pest due to its nesting habits; it creates unsightly mud nests on sheltered areas on buildings, typically under eaves. As well as the nests themselves, a significant number of droppings will fall on the ground underneath.
If they can be intercepted when they start building their nests, the nests can be knocked down, but it is important to remove all traces of mud, or they will be tempted to rebuild. Once the nest has been built and the eggs have been laid, it is too late to carry out any action. It will be necessary to wait until the chicks have left the nest and the nest is empty. If you are aware of any swallow nesting activity on other buildings in the area, the installation of bird slopes under eaves will prevent swallows nesting on the customer’s building.
Australian white ibis
The Australian white ibis (Threskiornis molucca), AKA ‘bin chicken’ or ‘trash turkey’, is a significant urban pest. With its wide-ranging diet and flexibility in habitat acceptability, these birds have readily adapted to the urban environment. They have become renowned for scavenging at waste management facilities and in garbage bins in urban environments, being skilled at opening garbage bags and indeed the garbage bins themselves. At nesting sites, they can damage trees, create noise pollution and can produce a significant amount of excrement. They also pose a risk to planes near airports and will often outcompete other native species for food and nesting sites.
To discourage ibis from being attracted to a particular area and nesting nearby, businesses need to take measures to make the area less attractive. Much like the silver gull, preventative action is required; it is important that all garbage bins have well-fitting lids and that these are kept closed (and that the bins are not over-filled). For restaurants and cafes, it is important that patrons do not feed the birds.
Typically, ibis management programs are managed by local councils. A key element of these programs is the targeting of nesting areas, with the installation of bird spikes being the most common technique, with noise deterrents and spotlights having some limited effect. As ibis have a high reproductive rate, producing several clutches over the breeding season (June-February), actions to reduce breeding success can be carried out under special licence (as it is effectively harming a native animal). This can include egg and nest removal before egg hatch. Egg oiling – painting eggs with a paraffin oil during incubation – can be used and is highly effective in preventing egg hatch and doesn’t harm the adults, so is considered humane.
Australian magpie and butcher bird
The Australian magpie and butcher bird are the two common culprits for swooping people during nesting season. This defensive behaviour of the male bird occurs during the six-week period when they are nesting, typically in spring. If the offending bird is on public property, it should be reported to the local council who will then decide on the plan of action. If the nest is on private property, the owner generally has to cover the costs of any management, but it generally requires some level of government approval.
However, there are some significant differences by state. The NSW Government, for example, takes the view that warning signs and avoidance of the area is the preferred course of action. If there are concerns, they should be reported to NPWS (National Parks and Wildlife Services), who will carry out an assessment. If the assessment results in a recommendation for removal, the bird will either be shot or trapped and euthanised by a suitably licensed pest manager – NPWS do not believe relocation is appropriate. However, in Queensland, local councils generally recommend trapping of the offending bird and relocation to an area away from humans. This can be carried out by pest managers with a Damage Mitigation Permit. It is assumed, rightly or wrongly, that the female bird will continue to care for the young.
Ravens
The Australian raven and little raven can be pests in both urban and agricultural areas. In urban areas they create similar problems to ibis, targeting garbage as a readily available food source. In addition to good hygiene practices, netting and ledge deterrents can be effective in excluding ravens from an area.
In agricultural areas they can cause significant damage to crops and can prey on newborn lambs. Protecting crops from ravens often requires a combination of audio and visual techniques, often in combination, as ravens are quite intelligent birds and can quickly learn to ignore such deterrents. Netting is only really practical in high value crops.
Parrots
A range of native parrots can cause problems, in particular the sulphur crested cockatoo, little corella and rainbow lorikeet. In urban areas, the sulphur crested cockatoo and little corella can cause damage to timber elements of property (e.g. chewing decks) and to playing fields (looking for grubs and plant bulbs). They can form large flocks, so can cause significant damage. The rainbow lorikeet can cause noise problems and issues with droppings at their communal roosts but tend to be more of an issue in agricultural areas.
Sulphur crested cockatoos tend to be more of a problem with their timber chewing during spring. Appropriate exclusion or repellent options can prove effective. For issues with any of these parrot species in large open areas (turf and agriculture), deterrents are the only practical option. The challenge is that they are often transient – flying in for a day or two before moving on. This requires the customer to have the necessary protective measures on hand, as a delay of even a day or two before installation can result in significant damage.
Although all these parrots are ‘native’ animals, they aren’t necessarily native to all states in Australia. For example, the rainbow lorikeet is not native to Tasmania or Western Australia and is a declared pest. In fact, WA is developing a Pest Parrot and Cockatoo Management Strategy to cover a range of pest parrots. The WA Government also has a process for listing an animal as a declared pest, whether native or not. Birds on the list of declared pests include the sulphur crested cockatoo, western corella, little corella and rainbow lorikeet. The Australian raven is also a declared pest of agriculture in certain areas. As a declared pest, clear management guidelines are provided, which vary depending on the bird. Other states allow for exceptions to the protection of native birds, often specific to rural areas for the protection of crops. For example, in Victoria, to use bird of prey mimics to scare parrots (which can be effective), it is necessary for the landholder to apply for an Authority to Control Wildlife (ATCW).
Native bird management can be a challenge. Firstly, it is important to understand the regulations that apply to native bird control in your state. Secondly, with a thorough understanding of the behaviour of the native bird in question, a management strategy can be developed.
Useful Links:
NSW
Bird Exceptions to Protected Species
NSW Permits: Licenses to control or harm native animals (NSW).
QLD
Permits: Licenses to management native wildlife (QLD)
VIC
Permit: Authority to control wildlife (VIC)
WA
Parrot and Cockatoo Management Strategy
Permits, guidelines and Exceptions: Fauna licenses (WA)
SA
Permits: Wildlife Permit Types (SA)
TAS
Native Wildlife Protection Status and Management Options (TAS)
