By John Thistleton
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ANU biology student Kate Grarock discovered the depth of feeling among Canberrans for birds during a PhD research project on the impact of Indian mynas on native birds and impact of trapping the pests.
"I was quite shocked with the the overwhelming passion of people who hate the myna," she said.
Now writing up her findings which she expects to release in April, she said she could not have completed her work without 12 dedicated volunteers from Canberra Indian Myna Action Group and Canberra Ornithologists Group.
A big concern was the potential for error without continuity in the survey which was done every second month for two-and-a-half years.
Eighty per cent of volunteers stayed for the duration. Compelling family reasons caused a few to drop out.
"People are passionate about the mynas," Ms Grarock said. "A lot of people were really keen to help a study, looking at the impact, I guess they were so passionate about birds, because (the survey) was a big ask.
"One of the survey requirements was a survey in the first three hours of sunlight and so over winter the first three hours of sunlight are very cold."
Yet little effort was needed to encourage volunteers.
A member of the starling family and also known as the Indian myna, these agressive birds were ranked the 13th most abundant in COG's 2009-10 garden bird survey, which notes that while myna numbers are declining, is has shifted higher up the ranking because of the declining abundance of other species.
Some birdos believe too much attention is devoted to the myna, a close relation to the common starling, the 10th most abundant species in Canberra and in long-term decline since the COG survey began 30 years ago.
Ms Grarock said people immediately related to her studies, while a fellow student studying a native mouse fond people were indifferent to her research.
"In some ways it has been a blessing and a curse for me.
"Like at times it has been stressful because I have felt a massive pressure if I don't find an impact (of the myna), when there are all these people so strongly determined that the bird does have an impact despite rigorous scientific evidence to say so."
After surveying Kaleen, Fraser, Hawker, Aranda, Hackett, O'Connor, Campbell, Deakin, Red Hill, Pearce, Chapman, Bonython, Fadden, Theodore and Kambah and adjoining nature reserves, her PhD will comprise several parts.
It looks at COG's data from 28 years ago; tracks the spread of the myna and how quickly they move; long term impact on native species; the volunteer surveys on walks; trapping and reductions in myna numbers.