Rook sighting in northern Southland prompts call for awareness

Southlanders are being urged to be on the lookout for rooks after a possible sighting of the pest birds in northern Southland.

Environment Southland recently received a report of three rooks seen on farmland between Mossburn and Five Rivers.

Biosecurity officers completed inspections of the properties involved and have been unable to confirm the presence of the birds, so far.

Biosecurity and biodiversity operations manager Ali Meade says the public play a vital role in helping keep rooks out of the province, and people are encouraged to report all potential rook sightings to Environment Southland.

“Rooks are pest birds in Murihiku Southland, and it is essential that sightings of any number are met with a swift response.”

“We are grateful that a vigilant member of the public reported the sighting of three rooks in northern Southland so that our biosecurity team could take action.”

Environment Southland asks the public not to attempt to shoot or disturb rooks.

Instead, report sightings immediately so that a rook control specialist can be called in, at no cost to the landowner.

Rooks are an exclusion pest under the Southland Regional Pest Management Plan.

They can be identified by their fully black feathers, which can have a purple gloss.

Rooks are slightly larger than magpies and also have a distinctive repeated “caw” as their call.

Rooks can cause serious damage to farms as they feed on most types of crops, either removing seed heads or pulling out young plants.

The pest birds may also have a negative impact on soil invertebrate populations in high densities, with this being their main food source.

Rooks were brought to New Zealand between 1862 and 1873 to control insects, but like many other introduced species, their population rapidly exploded.

In recent decades, Environment Southland has worked with its communities to eradicate the pests.

Sightings of rooks can be reported through the Environment Southland website at pesthub.es.govt.nz, or by emailing service@es.govt.nz, or by calling Environment Southland on 0800 76 88 45.

Check out this video which further helps to identify rooks https://bit.ly/3Ji4RbK.