DOHA: The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC), represented by the Wildlife Development Department, announced that the national project to limit and control the numbers of the invasive Myna bird in the Qatari environment resulted in a noticeable decrease in the numbers of this bird in the targeted areas.
The ministry explained that 9,934 birds were hunted during the period from November 2024 to January 2025, bringing the total number of birds hunted since the beginning of the project to 27,934 birds. The number of cages used in the operation amounted to 434 cages distributed over 27 sites.
The continuation of efforts to combat this bird according to a well-thought-out plan aimed at protecting local ecosystems and ensuring their sustainability, in light of the damage caused by the Myna to local plants and birds, and its negative impact on the ecological balance.
The expansion in the distribution of cages contributed to a noticeable decrease in the number of birds in the targeted areas, which enhances the effectiveness of the measures taken to reduce the impact of this invasive bird on the local environment.
Recognised for its aggressive behaviour towards other bird species and its detrimental impact on biodiversity, the Myna bird is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as one of the world’s most aggressively invasive avian species.
The species also poses risks to agricultural crops and carries diseases such as avian influenza and malaria, which could potentially lead to the extinction of some local bird species, according to the 2009 Marcula study.
In response, the MECC developed a strategic plan in collaboration with various entities including the Environmental Directorate of the Qatar Armed Forces, Aspire Zone Foundation, Qatar University, and several departments from the Ministry of Municipality and other key stakeholders.
