An unidentified Melbourne man has taken to social media to detail how to catch and kill the introduced Indian myna bird, promoting disturbing tactics to kill the species.
The bird has become a major nuisance and is known to attack native birds, becoming a hated figure within Australia’s eastern states and ACT community.
But one social media user this week went a step further, detailing inhumane and brutal methods to exterminate the birds, which has shocked bird experts.
The Red Hill man detailed how to catch and kill the pests, including recommending putting on hard heeled boots, placing the birds in a shopping bag and stomping on them, reported the Mornington Peninsula Leader.
“Quick, easy, efficient and don’t see the bird! Can do several in the same bag,” he posted.
“Please get as many people involved as possible or our beautiful peninsula will only have these horrible mynas.”
The man said he had even tried gassing the birds using car exhaust fumes but said it was “too fiddly” when killing multiple birds.
The man reportedly boasted about catching and killing 154 birds that he believed were becoming a huge pest for residents on the Mornington Peninsula.
He also offered to loan his trap to locals willing to catch and kill Indian mynas on their properties.
While that council does not xjmtzywhave a control program for Indian mynas, it is not illegal to trap and kill them as they are an introduced species.
Currently the control of the bird in Australia is undertaken by community action groups who approach the matter humanely.
BirdLife Mornington Peninsula president Max Burrows agreed Indian mynas were threatening native populations by taking over their nests, smashing their eggs and killing their young.
But he drew the line at brutally killing mynas.
“We’re bird lovers. We can’t condone that,” he said.
BirdLife is working with Mornington Peninsula Shire to install nesting boxes in reserves that only native birds can access.
“It doesn’t get rid of the mynas but it gives the natives a safe space,” Mr Burrows said.
