Media Release

9 October 2014

Rook Control Starting Later Than Usual

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s strategic rook control programme gets underway this month.

This year the control work is starting later than usual as rooks have been nesting later this season. Rook control would normally be well underway across the Hawke’s Bay region.

A few new rookeries have been found already this season and HBRC’s Biosecurity team would like to hear from any farmers who know of or have seen any new rookeries.

Farmers can contact either the HBRC Biosecurity team on 06 833 8088 or the contractor Jake Bowcock on 021 280 2988.

Rooks need to be controlled as these birds are a pest for farmers in Hawke’s Bay. Rookeries are found all throughout Hawke’s Bay and rooks can destroy new crops and pasture very quickly.

HBRC's annual Biosecurity report on the 2013/14 season was provided to this week’s Environment and Services Committee and confirmed that 543 rook nests were controlled last season. The Biosecurity team followed up on 10 farm enquiries during the year and controlled approximately 300 birds.

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