Concern as Common Myna spreads across Australia

There is concern in Australia as the non-native Common Myna continues to spread, threatening native species of birds.

A surge in reports of the species suggest it is expanding its range in the country. As a result, the Australian Invasive Species Council has raised alarm.

Council conservation and biosecurity analyst Lyall Grieve said the species, which normally favours urban areas, was now being seen in rural parts of Australia.

Common Myna is spreading in Australia, where it is an introuduced species (Matthew Mellor).

Spreading to rural Australia

"People in rural areas are seeing them spread along the highways," he said. "Once they get to a certain population density in the town they're in they spread out to more ranges and more areas."

Common Myna was ranked one of the world's 100 worst invasive species by the World Conservation Union in 2000. When they establish in a new area they force native species out of their wood hollows and even kill chicks, leading to a decline in local bird numbers.

In Australia, the greatest concentrations are in the cities and along the coast, but there have been at least 21 sightings of the bird near Deniliquin in southern New South Wales over the past year, and up to 50 near Forbes in the central west.

A recent study identified invasive species as the leading driver of biodiversity loss in Australia.