Taking to the air is the best
way to tackle an avian pest that can significantly harm farm
production.
Waikato Regional Council contractors
have today used an applicator dangling from a helicopter to
place poison in five rook nests at Te Ko Utu Park in
Cambridge.
Rooks, originally introduced to New
Zealand to control grass grub, are classified as a pest
under the council’s regional pest management plan.
“They are a classified as a production threat as they
feed on newly sown crops, especially the likes of cereals,
peas and maize, and uproot young plants to get at the
seed,” says pest animals biosecurity officer Paul
Quinn.
“They also damage pasture searching for
grubs and interfere with silage by ripping up the plastic
wrap.”
Cambridge has been a key centre where rooks
form breeding rookeries.
“We have had sightings of
up to 18 rooks in Cambridge, with five nests at Te Ko Utu
Park in the gum trees behind the tennis courts,” says
Paul.
The council generally undertakes rook control
in spring with contractors applying toxin directly to the
rook nest.
“It is highly effective at reducing
rook numbers,” says Paul.
The toxin is less toxic
to other birds and to help minimise potential harm to
non-target species the council removes any dead birds.
Members of the public are advised not to handle any dead
birds and to keep dogs on a lead.
In the wider
region, rook numbers are currently low, with the birds
present at just six sites.
Anyone sighting rooks can
contact the council on 0800 BIO SEC (0800 246
732).
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