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Reminder to manage rainbow lorikeets early

8 December 2009

The Department of Agriculture and Food has asked commercial fruit growers to consider early control of rainbow lorikeets following the return of the bird pest to the Perth Hills and Swan Valley.

Lorikeets have been reported feeding on loquats and figs near orchards and vineyards. They have been seen resting in nearby trees in Carmel, Pickering Brook, Herne Hill and West Swan.

Department project manager Marion Massam said it was a good time to begin managing the problem on loquat and fig trees, before commercial fruit ripened over the next few months.

“Managing the lorikeets by shooting will not only reduce bird numbers but should also scare some of the remaining birds into avoiding horticultural areas in the coming months,” Ms Massam said.

“It is important to keep neighbours informed and to be aware of all relevant rules and regulations, particularly those relating to noise emissions by the legal use of firearms.”

Ms Massam said rainbow lorikeets were not native to areas south of the Kimberley and were declared pests in the southern parts of the State.

"The birds can cause severe damage to fruit crops,” she said. “They also foul vehicles and outdoor living areas and make a lot of nuisance noise.

“Lorikeets aggressively protect their nesting sites and food resources, potentially displacing native birds.”

Other control options for fruit growers include anti-bird netting to enclose crops with temporary or permanent netting but this can be expensive.

Swan Valley Declared Species Group spokesman Kim Taylor said growers thinking of shooting should be aware of the provisions of the Firearms Act and regulations prior to undertaking any shooting on their property, as well as the consequences of breaching the legislation.

“Please contact local police for advice on the suitability of firearms in your areas for the taking of lorikeets,” he said.

Mr Taylor said it was also important for growers to provide 24 hours notification to neighbours and police of the intended time and date of any proposed shooting so police could assist growers and immediate neighbours to work through any concerns.

The department advises landholders to keep a record of the number of lorikeets they remove to add to data on birds removed from major roosts in Perth, as part of the ongoing management strategy.

For further information about rainbow lorikeets, to report sightings and numbers removed contact the department’s Pest and Disease Information Service on freecall 1800 084 881, email info@agric.wa.gov.au or visit the website www.agric.wa.gov.au

Photo captions: Rainbow lorikeet damage to table grapes in the Swan Valley (photo: Garry Gray, Department of Agriculture and Food).

Rainbow lorikeets aggressively protect their nesting sites and food resources, potentially excluding native birds (photo: Gary Porter, Department of Environment and Conservation).

Media Contacts:

Marion Massam, project manager,                                                                           0427 778 313

Kim Taylor, head of the Swan Valley Declared Species Group                           9274 3034

Jodie Thomson/Lisa Bertram, media liaison                                                         9368 3937