Camden Haven FAWNA committee members Jill Eagleton and Yvette Attleir say bird numbers are down in the area.
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“We’re devastated at the fact that they are disappearing,” Jill said.
In 2016 the volunteers estimated they would have cared for about 40 birds but this year there have only been four.
“We would rather not have injured babies come in to our care but we’re not even seeing the babies and the parents in the wild,” Jill said.
Normally Spring is the busiest time of year for FAWNA volunteers as many baby birds need care. There are four volunteers in the Camden Haven area.
“We’ve been asking for weeks now where are the birds?,” said Yvette.
Yvette said she is worried that bird population numbers in the area will go down as a result.
Jill’s Kendall property backs on to state forest and she said in previous years there were a lot more birds around.
“There just aren’t as many birds now and you don’t hear them in the morning like you used to,” she said.
The FAWNA committee members said numbers are down due to unseasonable weather and drought.
Jill said this results in a lack of food sources for parents to feed the baby birds.
“The flowers don’t produce enough pollen or nectar,” she said.
“It impacts the whole cycle.”
Yvette said the Camden Haven area is known for having a lot of birds.
“Last season we had a lot of Figbirds, Wattlebirds and Tawny Frogmouths,” she said.
The volunteers say the large amount of development which is occurring in the Camden Haven is also having an impact on numbers.
“They lose their habitat,” Jill said.
“Birds all have their own territory and if they leave it they put themselves at risk of being killed.”
Recently residents have also raised concerns about the threat that Indian Myna Birds pose to native birds in the area.
“These birds are categorised as one of the worst invasive pests in the world,” Laurieton resident Linda Frakes said.
“Their prolific breeding rate, coupled with their instinct to eradicate all competition for food and nesting areas, are a massive threat to Aussie birds and small mammals.”
People can help trap Myna birds by calling Landcare on 6586 4465.
For more information about FAWNA or if you would like to join please call 6581 4141 or visit http://www.fawna.org.au/