Team takes out rogue myna bird in late night Darwin Airport black op

A crack team of twitchers, airport staff and government agents have taken down a rogue myna bird that infiltrated Darwin Airport in a high stakes, two day operation under the cover of darkness.

A rogue myna bird that had been nesting at Darwin Airport is now pining for the fjords. Picture: Supplied

A CRACK team of twitchers, airport staff and government agents have taken down a rogue myna bird that infiltrated Darwin Airport in a high stakes, two day operation under the cover of darkness.

A spokeswoman for the Airport Development Group (ADG) said myna birds were “a known threat to biodiversity” with “an invasive nature” that had previously been unrecorded in Darwin.

A crack team of twitchers, airport staff and government agents have taken down a rogue myna bird that infiltrated Darwin Airport in a high stakes, two day operation under the cover of darkness. Picture: Supplied

The bird in question was located roosting in a tube on top of a 30 metre light pole on the airport apron before the team “ethically” removed it this week.

The exterminators covertly monitored the bird’s sleeping habits and used strategically placed trays or water and cat food to lull it into a false sense of security before using a hi-tech combination of tube and chicken wire to secure its capture.

The myna was then removed with a cherry picker and “destroyed” using CO2.

“It’s a big win and ADG would like to thank — community birdwatchers, Bird Life NT, NT Parks and Wildlife and the Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment, Darwin International Airport maintenance and operations staff — with the project led by our environment and sustainability manager Nick Fewster,” the spokeswoman said.