Indian Myna

Environmental selection pressures

About

Breeding

Habitat

Abiotic

Biotic

Threats

Consequences

Ecosystem

Diet

Behaviour

predation

competition

disease

symbiosis

Human

Farming

Population (changes)

Distribution

Niche

Introduction

Purpose

Climate

Food access

Human impact

trapping

Food

Predation

Shelter/nesting

Other organisms

Origin

Native to Asia

Open woodlands India

pre-adapted (behavioural)

tall vertical structures, no tree coverage

1968-1971 study: 110 released

1991 = 15 birds/km2

1994 = 75 birds/km2

cities and urban

2019 = 250 birds/km2

indian myna distribution

east Australia

urban areas

city scapes

populated

aggressive

intelligent

Nesting

pair for life

4-6 eggs/brood

August/October-March

avian

omnivore

scavenger

flight bladder

feathers

wings

beak

usurp native birds from nests

kill other birds/young

fight over food sources

territorial

no fear -
attack humans and larger animals

if threatened

chase possums from nests

suspicious

open bins

sedentary

monogamous

90,000+ as of 2006

AUSTRALIA

garbage/waste/scraps

backyard

pet food

compost

Urban areas

Dry sclerophyll forests

deforested/clear

Purpose

IN THE PEST SOCIETY

competes with native birds for

food

nesting

no native predators

feral cats

feral dogs

chicks - other birds

seeds

droppings disperse

human waste

Urban areas

dry sclerophyll forests

dense, wet ferny floors

trees dense or dispersed

east coast (NSW, QLD, VIC)

shared with

possums

gliders

larger marsupials

1000mm rainfall/year

temperate conditions

winter and summer months (inc. autumn, spring)

birds get larger due to abundance of food

no natural predators

feral cats

disease/illness

humans = trapping

no competition from other species

backyards

dog and cat food

bugs

beetles

grubs

worms

roaches

seeds/grains

garbage scraps

fruits and veggies

population boom

1862 introduced to control insects in Melbourne markets

temperate conditions

warm-hot summers

mild winters

evict other animals

roofs

trees

taken to North QLD to combat cane beetles impacting sugar cane

external factors that affect organism's ability to survive in particular environment

DARWINS FINCHES EXAMPLE

beak sizes

drought = small seeds scarce, big seeds abundant, larger beaks (mm) needed for bigger seeds

El Nino - 10% more rain = vines -
small seeds abundant, large seeds scarce
smaller beaks for smaller seeds

avian malaria

nothing natural

humans - trapping

parasites

Ornithonyssus bursia mite - dermatitis in humans

spread agricultural weeds

pesticides

illness in birds

Mynabirds on powerlines Stuart Harris b

dermatitis

suburban housing

baby mynas

native species

Parrots

regents

coxens

turquoise

double-eyed fig

glossy black cockatoo

hooded plover

flesh-footed shearwater

Terns

sooty

white

little

possums

gliders