Rinat, Z. (2020). Invasive species are displacing native birds in Israel, study confirms. Retrieved 12 March 2020, from https://www.haaretz.com/science-and-health/.premium-invasive-species-are-displacing-native-birds-in-israel-study-confirms-1.8286194
A new study from Technicon, the Israel Institute of Technology, supports the long held belief that invasive birds have driven out native Israeli birds. The study demonstrates a drastic increase in exotic populations over two decades while native populations dwindle. This pattern heightened in urban areas, where the invasive common myna and the rose-ringed parakeet have thrived. According to Technicon’s Assaf Shwartz, “The myna population soared 843 percent over the past 15 years, while the rose-ringed parakeet population jumped 250 percent.” However the study also demonstrated that invasive species have yet to become significantly established in protected areas and nature reserves throughout Israel. Since limited resources have pushed out these native species, Ornithologists and conservation groups are beginning to propose and encourage the hunting of harmful invasive birds.
I believe these large scale studies are an integral step in implementing native rehabilitation programs. Without these data sets, it’s difficult to receive funding and demonstrate progress. I also think it’s interesting that these invasive birds have thrived in urban centers, rather than rural areas. This could be a result of released or abandoned domestic birds establishing populations in urban parks. It would be interesting to see how these invasive populations have affected their surrounding environment.
I also think it is very interesting that these birds have thrived in urban, rather than rural areas. I wonder if human interaction has anything to do with it, like people feeding the birds?
That’s a great point! Rose ringed parakeets are commonly kept pets. This could also contribute to the spike of invasive populations in urban centers if owners released parakeets.
I really liked your summary of the article, it seems like a really interesting read. I was intrigued by the idea that they would encourage hunting of the invasive species of birds. What would they do with the birds once they hunted them? Are some part of their anatomy valuable? It’s an interesting solutions, I’d like to see what impact it has.
Thanks for the response! The main objective of the hunting would be to simply remove the population. I guess the feathers would be quite pretty as well.
Great summary of this article. I think many undermine the importance of managing and reducing invasive species. Many assume nature is just nature if that makes any sense, but there is balance to it and an imbalance from invasive species can be extremely detrimental to an ecosystem, and even poses threats beyond the plot of land in which it exists because it can spread. This brings me on to my question of do you think invasive species prevention/control should be held at equivalent importance as other forms of habitat destruction such as clear cutting or pollution?
Thanks for the response Isaac. Although the impact of invasive species often goes unnoticed, I believe it is actually more important than other forms of habitat destruction. What’s the point of protecting habitats for species that have been pushed to extinction?