Thread: Bird Predator Control

For those of you that are keen on Wetland or Upland birds - this might be a good time of the year to consider what you could do to improve bird survival rates - for adults and chicks
If you have had bait stations out over winter - it would be good to check them to assess where bait has been moving and replace mouldy bait - rats will not eat mouldy bait
So what should be on the hit list right now - possums, cats, rats, hedgehogs, stoats and ferrets
Possums and rats are destructive animals and will eat eggs and chicks on the ground or in trees
In my opinion, feral cats are one of our most dangerous bird predators, their home range is large and they can be extremely hard to catch
Hedgehogs are an underrated bird predator - they have a massive set of jaws and teeth and will eat eggs, chicks, invertebrates and many other animals that might be caught in a trap - I have seen the remains of a possum in a timms trap - just the head and skin survives - they eat the rest
Mustilids are destructive animals and often kill just for the sake of killing - a ferret will quickly take out all your nesting hen birds - unfortunately, they are very difficult to trap
If you would like to get involved in predator control there is masses of information on hunting forums - but this Landcare document has to be one of the best - this is my Bible for bedtime reading - enjoy it - http://www.landcare.org.nz/files/file/1110/pest

This thread could be a great place for us to share experiences on predator control - there is plenty to learn, plenty of traps and toxins - some of which are better than others

Hedgehog in DOC250 - once one has been in - they just keep on coming -

Timms look-a-like - not as good as genuine Timms - must have got thirty or more on that log -

Cat or hedgehog had a feed -

Often get hedgehogs in Timms when they are on the ground - I mostly put a rat bait station beside my traps - home made and holds about eight blocks -

Quail love safe ground - no rats or hedgehogs here -

Snap-E trap - best you can buy - many others break in service with impact or possums - nice ship rat -

Good that others have a feed - note Goodnature possum paste for bait - yum!

Goodnature gas operated trap - best kill was five rats under one - but there are some tricks required to make them effective - note Philproof rat bait station - holds bait on wire triangle -

T Rex trap - that large rat was still alive - they also break on hinges and possums tear them apart -

Sentinel trap - my favourite - not many escape from these -

Timms can be hair triggered to catch rats -

Homemade box trap with Victor trap - designed for rats and stoats -


Hope this will get a good thread going - feel free to ask questions - Kiwi Hunter has taught me heaps