Baring a distinctive yellow beak and eye-line, the omnivorous open woodland bird is known for its strong territorial instinct and ability to adapt to urban environments. They have even been kept as pets because of their unique parrot-like ability to ‘talk’.
Confirming his concern to The Voice this week, the Director of Birdlife Botswana, Motshereganyi Kootsositse, revealed they’ve been keeping a close eye on the bird’s rise.
“We know about this bird, it’s an invasive species. We’ve been observing its movement from South Africa, through to Lobatse, Kanye, Jwaneng, Gaborone and recently in the north of the country including Chobe areas,” said Kootsositse.
The Director said their main worry is that the bird seems to be dominating local species.
“It breeds quickly which means competition for food becomes rife. It is a problem bird and we anticipate that its numbers will continue to increase,” he warned.
Kootsositse further told The Voice they’ve realised the Indian myna uses other birds’ nests, upsetting the natural habitat.
“This bird disturbs the breeding success of indigenous species which may affect their population and ultimately lead to extinction,” added the feathered follower.
Although he admitted they haven’t done any scientific research on the impact of the bird, Kootsositse stressed they have already seen enough to know it will be a serious problem in the coming years.
He also pointed out that while birds are known to freely migrate in search of suitable breeding and feeding grounds, the possibility of the species having been smuggled into the country can’t be ruled out.
“Human beings are unpredictable. There are people who have a habit of smuggling and bringing exotic birds into the country,” he concluded.
The Indian myna is an unwanted bird in most countries. In South Africa, where it escaped into the wild in 1902, it has become very common. Its distribution is greatest in populated areas or where there is more human disturbance. It has been observed killing other birds’ chicks and taking over the nest. It is considered somewhat of a major pest and disturbance of the natural habitat; as a result, it has been declared an invasive species, requiring it to be controlled.In Australia, officials conduct frequent and aggressive culling campaigns to protect both indigenous parrots and marsupials from the Indian myna.
In 2000 due to its rapid increase, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission declared it one of the world’s most invasive species and one of only three birds listed among ‘100 of the World’s Worst Invasive Species’ that pose a threat to biodiversity, agriculture, and human interests.
