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Escapee birds can threaten agriculture

The Department of Agriculture and Food has urged the WA community to keep pet birds secured in aviaries after a number of different species were detected in the wild around the State.

Department development officer Marion Massam said Indian ringnecks, sulphur-crested cockatoos, Barbary doves, alexandrine parrots and lovebirds presented a great risk of establishing wild populations in Western Australia if they were released or escaped from aviaries.

Ms Massam said the department would continue capturing and re-homing these birds in secure keeping facilities to prevent them establishing in the wild.

“Escapees are regularly found in the wild, with the most recent detections of ringnecks in Albany, Greenmount, Kardinya and Parmelia; cockatoos in Capel, Kingsley and Mundaring; doves in the wheatbelt town of Bejoording; alexandrine parrots in Busselton and North Beach and lovebirds in The Vines and the north-west town of Tom Price.

“All these species are declared pests in Western Australia and all escapee birds found in the wild are immediately removed.  Their pest status requires that they are kept under secure conditions indicated by a permit.”

Ms Massam said the department’s risk assessments indicated these species pose a significant threat to Western Australian agriculture, with the potential to damage a range of crops including cereals, oilseeds and horticulture as well as stored grain.

These species may also compete with native species for nest hollows and food, as well as becoming a social nuisance to the public.

“In the United Kingom, researchers have found the feral ringneck population there has soared from fewer than 500 birds in 1983 to more than 20,000 today. There have been reports of damage to fruit crops, including wine grapes, and of Indian ringnecks fighting with native birds for nesting hollows in trees,” she said.

“There are large numbers of all these birds kept as pets here and owners need to be vigilant and ensure they do not escape. They are required to be kept in a secure double-doored aviary at all times.”

Ms Massam said early detection was important to ensure rapid and complete removal of the birds from the wild.

She urged the public to remain vigilant and report any unusual sightings of birds in their area as soon as possible.

Sightings of these species or other unusual birds or animals should be reported to the department’s Pest and Disease Information Service on freecall 1800 084 881.

Further information about identifying these species, their keeping requirements and the species of introduced birds and animals that can be kept in WA, is available from the Department of Agriculture and Food’s website www.agric.wa.gov.au, search using the name of the bird or animal.

 

 

                                                   

 

Media Contacts

Katrina Bonser/Lisa Bertram, media liaison	9368 3937/9368 3325
Marion Massam, development officer	0427 778 313