Details about projects, surveys and research being conducted by Tweed Bird Observers in the Tweed Valley and surrounding regions.

Tweed Bird Observers

TBO's mission: to encourage the appreciation & conservation of birds in the Tweed Valley & surrounding regions

Projects

Tweed Bird Observers (TBO) and individual members are often involved with other bird watching or monitoring programs being conducted by ornithologists, consultants, academics and National Parks and Wildlife Services.

The Tweed Bird Observers and/or individual members are currently actively supporting the following projects or research programmes:

Atlas of Australian Birds program (individual members) since 1995 (see Flight Paths)
Tweed Osprey Breeding Monitoring program (individual members) since 1996
Roufous scrub bird monitoring (individual members) in the Border Ranges National Park 1997-2004
Queensland and New South Wales Wader Study groups (individual members): the Beach Nesting Bird Survey and the "Adopt an Estuary" project 2004/05.
The inagural Birds of the Tweed Valley brochure in 2004
Tweed Landcare rehabilitation sites monitoring begun in 2004.
Black-necked stork (aka Jabiru) sightings started in 2004 - Public talk in May 2005
April 2005; Indian Myna Survey (See details below)
Australasian Wader Studies Group (see Flight Paths)

Indian Myna Survey	Identification of Indian (Common) Mynas	Don't confuse the "Indian Myna" with the native "Noisy Miner" below ...
Indian (Common) Myna	< left, illustration of Indian (Common) Myna Sturdy cocoa-brown body, black head and throat White wing patch, obvious in flight Yellow bill, legs and around eye 23-25 cm Often forages on ground, walks with exaggerated swagger Don't confuse with native Noisy Miner right > (“squeakers”, mostly grey with no white in wing) Indian Myna Sighting Sheet (140kb PDF)	Native Noisy miner. Photo © courtesy of Robert Franzos
Indian Myna Survey May 2008: April 2005; Indian Myna (Acridotheres tristis) Survey: Tweed Bird Observers, with the kind assistance of NSW NPWS Murwillumbah office, have initiated an Indian "Common" Myna (Acridotheres tristis) Survey, to determine the distribution, number, roosting and breeding sites of Indian Mynas in the Tweed Valley. Indian Mynas (also known as Common Mynas) are native to Eastern and Southern Asia. They were originally introduced to Victoria and New South Wales in the late 1800s, as intelligent, inquistive cage pets, with a great talent for mimicry. Escapees and freed birds soon started breeding in Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney suburbs, from where they have slowly spread, preying on the eggs and young of native birds, and competing aggressively and devastatingly with our wildlife for nesting hollows and food. They can also carry mites and diseases that affect humans, feed on and foul horticultural crops, and block building ventilation systems when nesting. Not to be confused with the native "Noisy Miner", the Indian Myna is also known as the "aerial cane toad" or "cane toad with wings", due to its aggressive behavior and taking over of territory, once the species invades an area. Tweed Bird Observers member, Faye Hill, is co-ordinating with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service in Murwillumbah, to distribute, collect and collate sightings sheets for the Tweed Valley, so local management strategies can be formulated. Download the survey form (140kb PDF), print it out and distribute it amongst your friends, neighbours and interest groups to complete, and it return to "Indian Myna Survey", NPWS, World Heritage Rainforest Centre, Cnr Alma & Tweed Valley Way or post to PO Box 5081, Murwillumbah, NSW 2484. Thanks! Additonal Information on Indian (Common) Mynas Australian Museum Fact Sheet General information and photos of Indian (Common) Mynas Common Indian Myna web site In-depth information on Indian Mynas

Indian Myna Survey

Identification of Indian (Common) Mynas

Don't confuse the "Indian Myna" with the native "Noisy Miner" below ...

Illustration of Indian Myna
Indian (Common) Myna

< left, illustration of Indian (Common) Myna
Sturdy cocoa-brown body, black head and throat
White wing patch, obvious in flight
Yellow bill, legs and around eye
23-25 cm
Often forages on ground, walks with exaggerated swagger
Don't confuse with native Noisy Miner right > (“squeakers”, mostly grey with no white in wing)
Indian Myna Sighting Sheet (140kb PDF)

Native Noisy miner. Photo © courtesy of Robert Franzos

Indian Myna Survey

May 2008:

April 2005; Indian Myna (Acridotheres tristis) Survey: Tweed Bird Observers, with the kind assistance of NSW NPWS Murwillumbah office, have initiated an Indian "Common" Myna (Acridotheres tristis) Survey, to determine the distribution, number, roosting and breeding sites of Indian Mynas in the Tweed Valley.

Indian Mynas (also known as Common Mynas) are native to Eastern and Southern Asia. They were originally introduced to Victoria and New South Wales in the late 1800s, as intelligent, inquistive cage pets, with a great talent for mimicry.

Escapees and freed birds soon started breeding in Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney suburbs, from where they have slowly spread, preying on the eggs and young of native birds, and competing aggressively and devastatingly with our wildlife for nesting hollows and food. They can also carry mites and diseases that affect humans, feed on and foul horticultural crops, and block building ventilation systems when nesting.

Not to be confused with the native "Noisy Miner", the Indian Myna is also known as the "aerial cane toad" or "cane toad with wings", due to its aggressive behavior and taking over of territory, once the species invades an area. Tweed Bird Observers member, Faye Hill, is co-ordinating with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service in Murwillumbah, to distribute, collect and collate sightings sheets for the Tweed Valley, so local management strategies can be formulated. Download the survey form (140kb PDF), print it out and distribute it amongst your friends, neighbours and interest groups to complete, and it return to "Indian Myna Survey", NPWS, World Heritage Rainforest Centre, Cnr Alma & Tweed Valley Way or post to PO Box 5081, Murwillumbah, NSW 2484. Thanks!

Additonal Information on Indian (Common) Mynas

Australian Museum Fact Sheet General information and photos of Indian (Common) Mynas
Common Indian Myna web site In-depth information on Indian Mynas

Flight Paths

Please note: All links following will open in the current window.

Australian Links

Bird Watching outings in the Ballina, Byron Bay, Tweed Valley - Gold Coast region Outings and bird counts.
Tweed Valley Osprey Breeding Monitoring program Story about the very susccessful 1998 breeding season, and a cautionary tale for fisherfolk.
Bird watching spots in the Tweed Valley
Bird Routes of Barraba (Northern Tablelands NSW via Woodenbong, Glen Innes, Armidale and Tamworth westbound)
Bird Routes of Manilla (Northern Tablelands NSW via Bonalbo, Armidale and Tamworth westbound)
Bird Routes of the Clarence Valley (North Coast NSW, via Casino, Lismore and Ballina southbound)
The Action Plan for Australian Birds 2000
Birds Australia (RAOU)
- The Atlas of Australian Birds General aims are: To collect and analyse data on the distribution and relative abundance of Australia's bird species. To compare the distribution and abundance of bird species to the previous Atlas. To collect information on rare and threatened bird species. To involve the community in the conservation and monitoring of Birds.
- Australasian Wader Studies Group was formed in 1981 as a special interest group of Birds Australia. The group is an non-government organisation dedicated to studying waders (otherwise known as shorebirds) throughout the East-Asian Australasian Flyway. There are about 330 members, of which 90 are from Asia.
Bird Observers Club of Australia (BOCA) see also Ethical Birdwatching
Migratory Waterbirds Home Page (Department of Environment & Heritage)
Bird Watching Australia. A directory of Australian birdwatching tours, bird clubs, freelance-guides, bird-orientated accommodation and reference information.
Australian Bird Study Association (ABSA) Dedicated to the study and conservation of Australian Birds
Australian Pelagic Home Page

International Links

The Ornithological Society of New Zealand (Inc.)
Open Directory Project, Birding sites Oceania.
BirdLife International is a global alliance of conservation organisations working together for the world's birds and people (UK site)
- BirdLife Statement on Avian Influenza, (4 November 2005). Questions and Answers on Avian Influenza.
Born Again Bird Watcher (North American blog)
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (UK site)
Birdtours Australian Trip reports (UK site)
Pacific Seabird Group (PSG) (US site) Dedicated to the study and conservation of Pacific seabirds and their environment
Birding on the Web (US site)
Fat Birder - Australian birding Resources, NSW links (US site)
World Twitch (International) WorldTwitch provides the latest news about rare birds around the world, trip reports by birding experts such as Jon Hornbuckle, the most useful links to websites on birding around the world, discussion boards for the exchange of birding information, and selections of books recommended for world birders.

The Tweed Bird Observers web site is proudly sponsored by Big Volcano Tourism.