Number of invasive Myna birds declines: MoECC survey

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) has announced a decrease in the number of myna birds in northwest of Doha, as a re...

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) has announced a decrease in the number of myna birds in northwest of Doha, as a result of the expanded campaign to get rid of invasive birds, which the ministry is carrying out with the participation of a number of state agencies.

The Ministry said that the observation of the decline in bird numbers came through the field survey process, which adopts the spot counting method, one of the scientific techniques used to collect data on bird numbers. The Myna bird, native to Southeast Asia, has been identified as a significant ecological threat in Qatar. From November 2022 to October 2023, the Ministry caught 3,000 Myna birds, underscoring the ongoing challenge posed by this species.

Recognised for its aggressive behaviour towards other bird species and its detrimental impact on biodiversity, the Myna bird is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as one of the world’s most aggressively invasive avian species. The species also poses risks to agricultural crops and carries diseases such as avian influenza and malaria, which could potentially lead to the extinction of some local bird species, according to the 2009 Marcula study.

In response, the MoECC developed a strategic plan in collaboration with various entities including the Environmental Directorate of the Qatar Armed Forces, Aspire Zone Foundation, Qatar University, and several departments from the Ministry of Municipality and other key stakeholders.