NATIONAL FERAL ANIMAL CONTROL PROGRAM REPORT TO THE BUREAU OF RURAL SCIENCES, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FORESTRY Bird Damage to the Wine Grape Industry John Tracey Glen Saunders VERTEBRATE PEST RESEARCH UNIT NSW AGRICULTURE October, 2003 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Figures ............................................................................................................................5 List of Tables .............................................................................................................................6 PART A: PROJECT OUTLINE ............................................................................................7 1. PROJECT INFORMATION...............................................................................................7 1.1 Project Name.................................................................................................................7 1.2 Details of Applicant ......................................................................................................7 1.3 Period of Project............................................................................................................7 1.4 Project Aim ...................................................................................................................7 1.5 Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................8 1.6 Summary .......................................................................................................................8 2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION...............................................................................................10 2.1 Background .................................................................................................................10 2.2 Project Objectives .......................................................................................................13 2.3 Study Area...................................................................................................................13 PART B: INVESTIGATING BIRD DENSITY, BEHAVIOUR, DAMAGE AND MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES IN ORANGE VINEYARDS.......................................14 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................14 2. METHODS .......................................................................................................................14 2.1 Damage Assessment....................................................................................................14 2.2 Economics of Bird Netting..........................................................................................16 2.3 Bird Abundance...........................................................................................................17 2.4 Capture Techniques.....................................................................................................18 2.5 Local Behaviour Observations ....................................................................................20 2.6 Banding and Radio Tagging........................................................................................20 2.7 Nesting Behaviour.......................................................................................................21 3. RESULTS .........................................................................................................................24 3.1 Damage Assessment Technique..................................................................................24 3.2 Damage Estimates .......................................................................................................27 3.3 Sample Size Estimates for Management Evaluation...................................................31 3.4 Economics of Bird Netting..........................................................................................32 3.5 Bird Abundance...........................................................................................................34 3.6 Comparison of Trapping Techniques..........................................................................38 3.7 Starling Movement Patterns........................................................................................41 3.8 Radio Tagging .............................................................................................................43 3.9 Nesting Behaviour.......................................................................................................45 4.0 DISCUSSION.................................................................................................................47 4.1 Damage Assessment Technique..................................................................................47 4.2 Damage Estimates .......................................................................................................48 4.3 Sample Size Estimates for Management Evaluation...................................................48 4.4 Economics of Bird Netting..........................................................................................49 4.5 Bird Abundance...........................................................................................................49 4.6 Comparison of Trapping Techniques..........................................................................50 4.7 Starling Movement Patterns........................................................................................50 1 4.8 Radio Tagging .............................................................................................................51 4.6 Nesting Behaviour.......................................................................................................51 PART C: QUESTIONNAIRE TO ORANGE VIGNERONS............................................53 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................53 2. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION .......................................................................................53 2.1 Estimated bird damage under current management (2000).........................................53 2.2. Number of birds, that cause crop damage, observed in vineyards .............................54 2.3 Contribution of bird species to overall bird damage ...................................................55 2.4 Number of grapes pecked as opposed to number of grapes removed .........................56 2.5 Relationship between grape variety and bird damage.................................................57 2.6 Relationship between habitat features and degree of bird damage .............................58 2.7 Most commonly used control technique(s) .................................................................59 2.8 Total area of vineyard managed by control technique(s) ............................................60 2.9 Most effective control technique for the control of crop damaging birds...................61 3. SUMMARY......................................................................................................................62 3.1 Ways to improve your ability to manage birds and reduce the impacts they cause ....62 PART D: REVIEW OF STARLINGS AND WINE GRAPES ..........................................64 1. BIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOUR.......................................................................................64 1.1 General Description.....................................................................................................64 1.2 Classification and Evolution .......................................................................................64 1.3 Reproduction ...............................................................................................................64 1.4 Diet and Feeding Behaviour........................................................................................66 1.5 Roosting ......................................................................................................................67 1.6 Movements, Migration and Dispersal .........................................................................69 1.7 Mortality and Survivorship .........................................................................................71 1.8 Habitat .........................................................................................................................72 2. STARLING DAMAGE TO WINE GRAPES ...................................................................72 2.1 Factors Contributing to Damage .................................................................................73 2.2 Overview of Australian Wine Industry Organisations ................................................75 3. TECHNIQUES TO MEASURE AND CONTROL DAMAGE AND ABUNDANCE.....76 3.1 Measuring Damage......................................................................................................76 3.2 Trapping ......................................................................................................................78 3.3 Legalities of Bird Control in New South Wales..........................................................80 3.4 List of Management Techniques .................................................................................85 PART E:.. CONTRIBUTION TO NATIONAL GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING BIRD PESTS IN HORTICULTURE..............................................................................................86 1. MEASURING DAMAGE ................................................................................................86