A snippet about Mynahs...
What are known as "Noisy" and "Indian" mynahs are found throughout the eastern part of Australia, having been introduced there long ago.
Both species - plus sparrows and starlings - are categorised as vermin in Western Australia and are destroyed on sight. Significant resources are tipped into the state's 'Starling Patrol', a team of snipers who pick the birds off at our Eastern border (1,500km from Perth). Trees containing nests are also dynamited at sundown, just when all residents are settling in for the night.
Every now and then a container or packing crate being offloaded at Perth's port of Fremantle contains a nest. The whole place is shut down and the Starling Patrol called in to watch, wait and 'pop' the feathered intruders. It usually makes the 6pm news!!
So, when you come to Perth the unusual silence you won't hear is the absence of sparrows twittering. It's what we notice most when visiting everywhere else in the world! With sparrows in their hedges, the older inner suburbs of Sydney and Melbourne sound very English to me.
stales
