Pest bird control
Pest birds can impact on agricultural production and the environment if their populations are not managed. Pest birds can be a significant periodic or long-term problem to many industries. Their cost to horticultural production has been estimated to be $300 million per year. The main methods of pest bird control include trapping, shooting and netting. Common pest bird species include the common starlings, common mynas, sulphur-crested cockatoos, galahs, sparrows, pigeons, crows and ravens. Shooting as a method of pest control is undertaken by a wide range of people. This includes government vertebrate pest control officers, landholders and licensed shooters. Shooting is humane and very target specific and can be used to control pest birds. It can work in collaboration with other pest control techniques to reduce the impacts and populations of pest birds across properties. Shooting can be conducted both during the day and night. Various techniques of shooting such as the use of spotlights, decoys and callers can be employed to increase the efficiency of pest bird control activities. Shooting can be an expensive option if landholders need to employ a full-time, part-time or contract professional shooter/s. If shooting is conducted at no-cost by accredited volunteer shooters, it then becomes one of the cheapest pest control techniques available. Landholders can then use costs saved by utilising volunteer shooters to fund other complimentary pest management tools.Act now!
The SSAA Farmer Assist program enables landholders to find licensed, accredited and insured volunteer shooters to assist with pest bird control. We have thousands of qualified members across the country ready to help landholders and managers with pest bird control. It only takes a few minutes to register for the SSAA Farmer Assist program so you can find friendly and willing volunteers to assist you with your pest bird problem.