Question: Can you please help in checking into what the government is doing about those white "cow birds" that seem to be everywhere on the island? They were brought here to eat flies that bother cows, and spent their time sitting on cows’ backs. I called several government agencies and was told by the Department of Agriculture that no one is doing anything. I’ve witnessed those birds eating small brown birds.
Answer: Although these cattle egrets do prey on the nests and young chicks of endangered seabirds and water birds, such as Hawaiian stilts, they are not considered "a widespread serious pest," according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.
Because of that, there is no statewide program to control them, said Paul Conry, administrator of the Division of Forestry and Wildlife.
In the August/September 2011 issue of ‘Elepaio, the journal of the Hawaii Audubon Society, wildlife biologist Ron Walker described how cattle egrets were introduced to Hawaii in 1959 by the Hawaii Board of Agriculture and Forestry at the urging of cattle ranchers. The ranchers saw the egrets as a way to reduce the number of flies that damaged the hides and reduced weight in their cattle.
Walker said he was working for the state in 1959 when the egrets were introduced.
In his article, he said cattlemen insist ailments caused by flies and other insects have decreased, but that, "The extent to which this egret has fulfilled its purpose in reducing flies on cattle has never been measured empirically."
He also pointed to egrets preying on young water birds; posing a hazard to airplanes by gathering near airports; and potentially transmitting parasites to livestock, domestic fowl, wild birds and people.
Walker believes the introduction of cattle egrets "was a big mistake," although he said there are mechanisms, i.e. permits, to deal with the problem.
Although cattle egrets are protected under state law (Chapter 183D-62 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes — "Taking, injuring or destroying wild birds prohibited") — they may be controlled with a permit from DLNR.
"If landowners or businesses have specific pest problems, they may apply for a control permit or contact a pest control company that has a permit to deal with problems," Conry said.
Because cattle egrets are predators of endangered birds, he said, DLNR removes or "hazes them away" from important wetlands and nesting sites, and removes egret roosting and nesting sites in or near wetlands to prevent them from "building up in an area."
Meanwhile, because cattle egrets forage in grasslands, they are found at airports and airfields or fly over airfields on their daily movements to and from roosts and feeding areas, said Mike Pitzler, state director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services for Hawaii, Guam and the Pacific Islands.
"While there is no statewide program to control cattle egrets, they are a serious hazard to aviation" when found near an airport, Pitzler said.
His office helps airfield managers in controlling cattle egrets when they are considered a hazard to aircraft by using "an integrated pest management approach," including controlling insect populations on airfields and flocks that forage near aircraft movement areas.
"Often controlling the hazard requires population reductions directly at the roost sites," Pitzler said.
Auwe
To dog owners with no respect for humans and the environment. The grassy area along the roadway on Ala Wai Boulevard is lined with poop. We do not have enough bags to remove most of the mess left by others (we try), but we are sure to clean up after our dog. Hope others would do the same and keep the area clean. — Dog Lover With a Conscience
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