Can falcons play a part in helping New Zealand arable growers control pest birds?
Today, falcon expert Nick Fox will demonstrate how falcons may have the potential to help New Zealand arable growers control pest birds in their crops.
The major species causing damage to arable crops are house sparrow and green finch. They cause significant damage in cereal, brassica and oil seed crops every year. Loss in cereals is between 5% and 10% nationally which equates to approximately $15 to $30 million loss for New Zealand arable growers. This has resulted in growers being unable to grow crops in specific areas.
Loss in vegetable brassicas would be 50% if growers did not net crops. These are very high value seeds worth $15 -$20,000/ha; thus if they were not netted losses of $20 million per annum to birds would occur. The costs associated with netting are obviously significant. Loss in other forage brassicas (not netted) would be approx 25 -30%.
Loss in oilseed crops such as hemp, borage and sunflower are extremely high and many growers do not consider growing these crops due to the potential bird damage.
Populations of some of these species are increasing on the Canterbury plain. Current control and management approaches (apart from netting) are uneffectual. Falcons have been observed in areas around Sheffield (close to the mountains) and have been seen to be effective in moving problem birds out of the area. However they are not resident in the area so visits are fleeting.
Nick Pyke, FAR’s Chief Executive says “FAR and the MAF Sustainable Farming Fund (MAF SFF) have invested over $300,000 in bird research in the last few years to try and understand bird behaviour and identify suitable management practices; however we have not had any marked success. We have tried trap crops, poisons, scarers, learned taste aversion etc. From our limited knowledge of falcons it appears they would be well worth trying due to part of the Canterbury Plain being close to their natural habitat; food sources are plentiful, artificial nesting and perch sites should be relatively easy to install etc.”
Dr Fox is a raptor biologist with research on New Zealand Falcons, Australasian Harriers, Northern Goshawks, Mauritius Kestrels, Red Kites, Sakers and Peregrines. As a farmer he is interested in rural issues including farmland restoration, bird species re-introductions, animal welfare, access, fieldsports and low impact leisure activities. A falconer all his life, he has run the Northumberland Crow Falcons since 1991.
Dr Fox will be Tomas Kunca. Tomas is an employee of International Wildlife Consultants (IWC). He is a trained falconer and biologist from the Czech Republic. He has now done two field seasons in New Zealand as well as working on falcon projects in Kazakhstan and Mongolia. He is planning to start a PhD study later this year, based on man-made hazards to birds of prey, especially electrocution, at a programme in western China.
Where and When?
Monday 3 March 2008, 3:00pm – 5:00pm, FAR Arable Site, 2km north of Chertsey, SH1