Researchers at the University of the Sunshine Coast have confirmed the haunt of one of Australia’s smelliest and dirtiest native birds – the white ibis. And as expected, the closer to landfills, the better.

This is one of many findings from a new study aimed at better understanding the brazen scavenger that has taken over streets, parks and rubbish dumps in cities and towns across eastern Australia.

Identifying the birds’ preferred locations – and the reasons behind them – could help find more effective ways to deter the birds from nesting in areas where they are not wanted, according to findings published in the journal. Urban ecosystems.

“It seems that modifying or restricting access to their preferred habitats could be a means of controlling this protected but nuisance species,” said co-author and lecturer in animal ecology at UniSC, Dr. Dominique Potvin.

The study found that the birds do not like to nest near waste disposal facilities, but they do like to stay and breed near them, with proximity to these facilities being the main reason for this.

“Surprisingly, our study found that, given how many people like to live near humans and enjoy cleaning up their trash, ibises still prefer to nest in places where they can have some distance from people,” said Dr. Potvin.

Ibises and their nests were most common within a 10 km radius of waste disposal facilities. While the number of nests increased the closer they were to residential or industrial areas, they decreased the further they were from landfills.

“The results highlight the need to focus on both foraging and nesting/roosting sites and to minimise proximity between them, rather than the currently preferred form of exclusive management of nesting colonies through measures such as egg destruction,” said Dr Potvin.

Nirvana is an Ibis Island

For the study, the research team examined 26 colonies in the Moreton Bay region, using historical data on local populations collected by the council over a decade.

The ideal place for the bird is an island in the water with a lot of trees. It does not like the trees in which it sleeps to be too high – preferably less than 10 meters.

It also prefers locations with fewer tree species and may also have a preference for eucalyptus and tea tree.

Keep unwanted pests out of your neighborhood

Lead author Caitlin Willis, who is researching the ibis as part of her PhD at UniSC, said this understanding could help in urban planning to prioritise actions for specific locations and identify future sites where the pest species could establish itself.

“To support the relocation of colonies from more urbanised areas and parklands, stakeholders could improve policies on waste management facilities in their ibis reduction plans, particularly reducing the amount and availability of waste available on site,” she said.

“The trees planted in parks and other urban landscapes must be carefully selected, especially if they are located near feeding areas.”

“To prevent large colonies, the solution may be to make green spaces less attractive and create less desirable space by planting a diverse selection of larger trees at low densities in parks and urban areas.”

According to the research team, it is time to rethink the growing trend in urban planning of locating construction projects near wetlands to provide access to hiking trails, fishing and water sports.

Instead, wetlands could provide an opportunity to create an “ibis nirvana” to lure breeding colonies away from urban areas.

Co-author Dr Ben Gilby said this would include the creation or management of wetlands to provide the most suitable nesting conditions, isolation from humans and improved protection from predators.

“As their original inland habitat has shrunk over the past three decades, they have established large, permanent and seasonal breeding colonies in urban coastal areas, sometimes comprising hundreds of nests and thousands of individuals,” said the associate professor of animal ecology at UniSC.

“Nesting colonies can not only cause noise and odor, but also food theft, but they can also destroy habitat, smother vegetation, cause erosion, pollute waterways, and compete with native species for habitat.

“So far, few management interventions have been successful, and that is why this research project is so important to better understand the conditions that influence ibis habitat selection.”