Small Australian native birds are losing food and home to a growing flock of rivals, including native birds arriving from other states, invasive alien birds and those that thrive in urban areas, environmental scientists have warned.
In addition to targeting high profile pest birds such as the Indian myna, Australia should expand its lines of defence against a wide range of aggressive alien birds and native "urban exploiters", says Associate Professor Salit Kark of the National Environmental Research Program's Environmental Decisions Hub (NERP's EDH) and The University of Queensland.
Full release HERE. Assoc Prof Salit Kark. Prof David Lindenmayer
ABOVE: Introduced cavity nesting birds (rose-ringed parakeets and Indian myna) today and 1,500 years ago in an ancient mosaic of the parakeet from the Mediterranean region (photos: Salit Kark (left and centre) & Assaf Shwartz, right).