THE Department of Agriculture and Food in Western Australia has co-ordinated the production of three National Pest Alerts to highlight risks posed by new bird pests.
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The brochures cover three non-indigenous birds, the Canada goose, red-whiskered bulbul and Barbary dove.
Alert co-ordinator Win Kirkpatrick said the brochures focus attention on potential risks to agriculture, the environment and society, and encourage reporting of sightings by the public.
The alert brochures were produced with support from the Australian Government’s Australian Pest Animal Management Program administered by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics – Bureau of Rural Sciences.
“The alerts are endorsed nationally by the Vertebrate Pests Committee and were developed with government and non-government groups,” Ms Kirkpatrick said.
The red-whiskered bulbul and Canada goose are both on the Global Invasive Species Database, alongside the red fox and cane toad, and are prohibited in WA.
The goose damages a variety of agricultural crops including cereals and vegetables and poses a bird-strike risk for aircraft.
In Australia the bulbul is reported to damage figs, pears, strawberries and flowers. It could displace and compete with honeyeaters and assist in the spread of weeds.
The Barbary dove is considered a pest of agriculture as it can damage newly sown grain crops and in Australia it could complete with other dove species. It can only be kept in WA in a double-doored aviary under permit.
The alerts have been distributed throughout Australia and are on the Department of Agriculture and Food’s website www.agric.wa.gov.au by searching for ‘pest alert’.
There is a great reliance on the public to report species seen in the wild - any sightings of these or other unusual animals and birds should be reported to the department’s Pest and Disease Information Service on freecall 1800 084 881.
