Neighbour Killing Pest Birds in His Yard

Lchimkenstalker on 23/12/2022 - 19:10

In a casual discussion, my neighbor mentioned to me that he's been killing blackbirds and Indian Minah birds in his backyard.

As an attempt to keep them off his fruit and vegetable crops, he's been trapping them and then euthanizing them - according to him, humanely.
I was pretty shocked as I consider this to be a bit over the top and kind of weird.

I told him this, but he's convinced that it's legal and ethical as they are invasive pest bird species that compete with native wildlife.

I've been looking at a few government wildlife websites, but they're all super vague and don't tell me whether or not he's allowed to do this.

Does anyone have any experience in this area and can tell me if it's legal for him to be doing this?

Home & Garden

Comments

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 23/12/2022 - 19:21
    +4

    https://youtu.be/INspWUCJud8

    Interesting, according to 9news apparently you can cage the Minah birds as long as only held for up to a certain amount of hours but ‘experts’ say only qualified professionals should kill the birds…

    • arcticmonkey on 24/12/2022 - 15:14
      +13

      I'm in full support of killing Indian Myna birds but not at all in support of killing blackbirds

      They are lovely creatures and have a nice call.

      It's a shame he couldn't stop at the aggressive Mynas

      • askvictor on 24/12/2022 - 18:42
        +5

        Might be taking about European blackbirds, which are also an introduced pest

    • HeWhoKnows on 24/12/2022 - 16:33
      +14

      "they are invasive pest bird species that compete with native wildlife."

      This is 100% correct.

      But thats the same with all introduced species.

      They also spread disease

      • vshek on 25/12/2022 - 08:00
        +1

        Aren't humans invasive species as well? pretty much spread from Africa.. :)

        • lonewolf on 25/12/2022 - 08:18
          +4

          people have double standards on this

          • Hangryuman on 25/12/2022 - 08:54
            -5

            @lonewolf: ask aboriginal folk how they feel about the invasive wypipo

          • arcticmonkey on 25/12/2022 - 14:09
            -5

            @lonewolf: Agreed. People complaining about introduced species when they are introduced themselves.

            No issues if they conform but when they are aggressive and rowdy like the Indian Myna, they are a curse on society

            • [Deactivated] on 28/12/2022 - 02:10
              -1

              @arcticmonkey: White people are human beings. I thought Australian Aboriginals were human beings too. So what you're saying is, Australian Aboriginals are a different species, thus not human?

      • arcticmonkey on 25/12/2022 - 14:16

        These guys showed how to kill some of these Indian Myna pests. They have helped a lot of other birds no doubt by killing the Mynas.

        https://youtu.be/jTqvR1J8KDo

    • juki on 24/12/2022 - 23:39
      +1

      someone has also told me they do the same but only with the minah birds, and seems to catch in a similar way, from what i remember you can only kill a certain way and it varies from state to state
      i think drowning was forbidden and he wasnt too fond of beheading, but i cant remember how he did it

      i also like blackbirds and seldom see any

      • LlamaOfDoom on 26/12/2022 - 00:10
        +1

        For a small bird such as this, blunt force trauma would suffice also.
        The aim is no/minimal stress before and the process to be as quick as possible. Painless ideal but without gassing them (CO2) thats pretty much off the table.
        Definitely do not gas with exhaust gas.

        • juki on 26/12/2022 - 00:14

          yeah.. gassing a living being reminds me a little too much of the deeds of a guy with a little mustache.
          with exhaust gas i imagine it would get hot too.
          I'll try find out next time i see him

    • [Deactivated] on 26/12/2022 - 05:49
      -1

      Typical government pen pushers… can't help themselves… like controlling ex's Have to make new rules every five minutes to justify their useless jobs. One minute they're saying to trap and plug them into your car exhaust pipe, now we need "qualified" people to turn the ignition on OUR cars. My local council rents out the traps and tells you how to kill them. I guess that will be going away now some "woke" blue-haired council employee managed to get their way in another council area.

      • Crow K on 26/12/2022 - 15:04
        +2

        Isn't it interesting that everywhere you look there's either a global scale conspiracy or wokeness (and sometimes both)?

        Sun's hot today, make sure you roll over so you're an evenly cooked unit.

  • Iwantthebestprice on 23/12/2022 - 19:25
    +58

    Pretty sure you’re allowed to kill invasive species with no issues. While I don’t agree with killing animals they are competing with natural Aussie wildlife. If you see a feral cat or wild fox it should be killed to save the environment from all the damage it will do.
    Also:
    Queensland says if you catch invasive fish - kill it
    https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/plants-animals/animals/pe…
    Can’t see why birds are any different.

    I don’t really think australia sees to kindly on invasive species so I would say your neighbour is doing the country a favour by getting rid of them!

    • chimkenstalker on 23/12/2022 - 20:07
      +30

      Yeah I see the value in it. Killing animals isn't awesome, but if it's to help stop the extinction of native wildlife, it's probably for the best.

        • Iwantthebestprice on 23/12/2022 - 21:21
          +37

          I’m far from a vegetarian I don’t even know how this comes into the factor of my reply or the question from OP?

        • cashless on 23/12/2022 - 22:13
          +41

          User name needs fulfilling

        • Assburg on 24/12/2022 - 18:35
          +1

          I don't think he's eating bilbies or dingo mate

    • mapax on 24/12/2022 - 08:11
      +3

      Feral cats are semi-protected, well kind of, thanks to anti-environment types in Victoria. Even on farm land and in private bushland protection areas you can’t shoot/euthanise them.

      You’re supposed to cage trap cats and then take them to the council or vet so that they can be scanned in case they belong to the type of (profanity) who lets their cat roam. Luckily a lot of councils will instantly euthanise unchipped cats these days.

      • macrocephalic on 24/12/2022 - 15:15
        +4

        I've been pretty tempted to just start trapping every car I find out. Maybe the neighbours will eventually figure it out after collecting them a few times.

        • mapax on 24/12/2022 - 16:34
          +8

          Gonna need a big trap to catch cars…

          Seriously though, contact your council and tell them there is a number of cats roaming as some of them will lend free (with a deposit) cage traps. Also make sure you mention if you have seen the cats predating on wildlife as most councils now take that fairly seriously.

      • siresteelhell on 24/12/2022 - 22:25
        +2

        nah, you can shoot feral cats on your farm

        • mapax on 24/12/2022 - 22:35
          -1

          That’s not entirely correct, as I said you have to scan them first.

          Private landholders can manage cats roaming on their land in accordance with current laws. In essence, on private land, cage trapping as per these procedures is the only control option for cats (feral or otherwise). This is because it is not straightforward to determine if a cat is feral or un/owned without scanning for a microchip. Therefore, any cats trapped on private land must be handed to the local Council so they can be scanned. If a private landowner destroys a cat on their land, they risk liability if the cat was an owned cat that was roaming and so they may be subject to POCTA offenses.

          • siresteelhell on 24/12/2022 - 23:04

            @mapax: what state are you in?

            • mapax on 24/12/2022 - 23:16

              @siresteelhell: Vic. That’s a quote from Ag Vic, not sure when it was introduced but possibly 2019 when they updated the act. It wasn’t a thing when I originally became a ranger/C.O. but when I did some refresher training it was.

              • siresteelhell on 24/12/2022 - 23:43

                @mapax: ridiculous the bs they expect farmers to do…if there is a feral cat killing their animals they expect them to first obtain a trap… maybe having to drive very far…then try to trap it….and then "if" they can manage to trap the cat, they have to take it to the council?(possibly driving very far again) Crazy….
                I understand as feral cats are NOT classified as a pest on private land …yet they are on crown land…. it might be the rules to the letter… doesn't mean they are right or make sense.. how many animals are possibly dieing whole following this stupid policy

          • tonsta on 24/12/2022 - 23:15
            +1

            @mapax: Who’s gonna know? Risk is so minimal, no one is gonna care about a cat… plenty of them get squashed everyday… I don’t see anyone investigating on a public road let alone on private land.

            • juki on 24/12/2022 - 23:45

              @tonsta: i dont see anyone who lets their cat roam at night running after it..

              we used to get rid of them and foxes (really mangey ones mostly) with a crosbow, i kind of feel sorry for them now and probably wouldnt be able to do it

              living on top of each other i'd be afraid of triggering a neighbour war asking for the councils cat trap

          • banana365 on 25/12/2022 - 12:29

            @mapax: Like any offence, that would require it being detected. If anyone were to shoot a cat on their property they'd not be likely to tell people and would have no problem disposing of the carcass.

          • tonsta on 26/12/2022 - 01:52

            @mapax: how about foxes? maybe the cat looked like a fox from a distance… asking for a friend

            • mapax on 26/12/2022 - 06:02

              @tonsta: Foxes are open season for now, the anti-environmental types are trying to change that.

          • swilso on 26/12/2022 - 03:47

            @mapax: I think you will find legislation will over rule this according to “DOMESTIC ANIMALS ACT 1994 - SECT 30”.

            “ Owner of livestock able to destroy dog or cat found at large near livestock”

            • mapax on 26/12/2022 - 06:13

              @swilso: I’ll look into that when I am back at work but I believe that was meant to be getting amended to remove cats.

    • rentonc on 24/12/2022 - 13:02

      Seems it depends on how emotionally attached the people are:
      https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-22/kosciuszko-brumby-bat…

      • juki on 24/12/2022 - 23:47

        i'd gladly help decrease those numbers by having a few horse steaks… i miss them so much

  • GourmetFoodie on 23/12/2022 - 19:28
    +20

    Good on him! Aussie spirit.

    • Scrooge McDuck on 24/12/2022 - 18:46
      +1

      BBQ quail anyone?

      • juki on 24/12/2022 - 23:47

        yuck !

        • Scrooge McDuck on 25/12/2022 - 01:15
          +1

          It's organic and free range.

          • juki on 25/12/2022 - 09:29

            @Scrooge McDuck: yeah i just dont like small bird dishes, pigeon, quail.. erk and pita to eat

      • cktftw on 25/12/2022 - 10:38

        only if you're not chinese, otherwise you'd be accused of creating diseases

      • TightLikeThisx on 25/12/2022 - 21:53
        +2

        Only if I get to cook it on the local parks BBQ facilities.

  • AustriaBargain on 23/12/2022 - 19:29
    +11

    You're allowed to kill pests, even mammals if they are classed as pests. If he is capable of identifying which birds are pests and which are protected then he's probably doing the environment a favour.

  • mapax on 23/12/2022 - 19:29
    +11

    It is legal and ethical providing he is following the guidelines on humane euthanasia.

    • GordonD on 23/12/2022 - 21:31
      +5

      ^^^This.

      It is absolutely legal and ethical to kill pest species. Anyone doing it is doing the rest of us a service.

      You just have to be sure they are a pest species, and you treat them reasonably humanely.

      • nobro25 on 24/12/2022 - 09:32
        +2

        How do we kill Mosquitoes Humanely?

        • tempestswitch on 24/12/2022 - 12:30
          +11

          Nothing more humane than slapping the crap out of it and watching it splatter everywhere

    • leiiv on 25/12/2022 - 02:40
      -6

      Humane killing is an oxymoron. Any killing causes pain and suffering. Unless perhaps with some types of gas or drugs, which are very unlikely to be used for pests.

      • RefusdClassification on 25/12/2022 - 03:55
        -1

        About the only peaceful, quick ways to die are injection of an opioid or barbiturate overdose. You fell unconscious and stop breathing almost instantly.

      • happydude on 26/12/2022 - 11:15

        Humane killing is about limiting pain and suffering. With stunning there is virtually no pain or suffering.

        If you want to see non-humane killing turn on National Geographic. A lion ripping an animal apart while fully conscious is not humane.

      • RG146 on 27/12/2022 - 23:26

        That’s why most people kill Indian Mynah’s via gas.

        Cage them, bag them in a garbage bag and attach the bag to a cold car exhaust. Sounds wild.

  • pegaxs on 23/12/2022 - 19:49
    +17

    Ahhh, fighting the good fight. Does your neighbour have a Patreon account I can donate to?

    • mapax on 23/12/2022 - 20:22
      +4

      Lol. I was going to set up a patreon or go fund me to help fund the bush rehab and pest control work I do, but then I remembered you need an online presence that extends to more than shit-posting on a bargain website…

      • pegaxs on 23/12/2022 - 23:24

        Well, when you do, let me know, I'll sign up… :D

      • Sinnerator on 24/12/2022 - 09:33

        Film yourself sh!t posting on said website and then post that on youtube.

    • chimkenstalker on 23/12/2022 - 20:08
      +10

      Hopefully one day I can be as devoted to these forums as you are!

      • ode1online on 23/12/2022 - 20:10
        -8

        Unlikely

        • chimkenstalker on 23/12/2022 - 20:11
          +15

          Agreed

        • pegaxs on 23/12/2022 - 23:23
          +2

          Memeber since 2008 with only 1,246 comments… Those or rookie numbers. Gotta pump those numbers up!

  • parano1a on 23/12/2022 - 22:00
    +5

    Did someone say KFC?

    (cuts to chimkenstalker and his neighbour sharing a "Variety Bucket" over the fence in the backyard whilst the caged mynah birds watch on)

  • Some Human on 23/12/2022 - 22:13
    -4

    Neighbour is wasting his time. He could just get a cat to do the job. Then he would have to joy of having a cat without the hassle of feeding it.
    Sort of like killing 2 birds with one stone.

    • AzzDawg on 24/12/2022 - 09:11
      +19

      No. Cats are the most harmful invasive species in Australia.
      Suggesting someone get a cat and not feed it, encouraging a feral lifestyle is far from an answer and is pure idiocy.

      • Some Human on 24/12/2022 - 09:50

        Pretty sure the OP said the neighbour's goal is to kill wildlife…

        Also whooooosh

    • hipi on 24/12/2022 - 10:36
      +2

      Cats have a hard time against mynah birds. They are very aggressive and gang up on anything in their territory. I've seen tough feral cats run from them. Trapping is the easiest way to get rid of them.

      • furyou on 24/12/2022 - 19:57
        +1

        You're thinking of grey miners, which are aggressive but protected natives. The Indian ones are no match for the greys, who can chase out magpies, kookas, parakeets from a wide area.

        • lgacb08 on 24/12/2022 - 23:07

          yeah, the noisy miner are the king, cockatoo is not far off the list

          • furyou on 25/12/2022 - 11:00

            @lgacb08: I wouldn't know, we have nothing but a band of noisy miners chasing everything else away.
            Funnily our magpies are friendly (only 1 left here)

        • hipi on 25/12/2022 - 08:47

          No. I'm talking about the brown Indian mynah birds. Not the native noisy miner. I've seen it happen often.

    • greatlamp on 24/12/2022 - 15:44
      +1

      Cat's are useless at killing Minah birds, they prefer the much slower Australian Native pigeons and Rosellas.

      • Speckled Jim on 24/12/2022 - 18:49

        The tiny, belly-with-wings that is the superb fairy wren…neighbourhood cat left one of those for me out the back.
        Cats are weirdos.

  • burmans on 23/12/2022 - 22:14
    +9

    Can you give me his phone number, those Indian Mynahs are a pain in the a****.

    • macrocephalic on 24/12/2022 - 17:41
      +1

      While I'm generally against invasive species, Indian Mynas and Noisy Miners seem to be basically the same.

    • [Deactivated] on 28/12/2022 - 02:03
      +1

      Then you're using them wrong.

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