Destroying rooks to protect crops

Rooks hit the paddocks in Hawke's Bay with the potential of ruining crops in the region.

More moves are on the way to end rook plague in Hawke's Bay in a project which has seen massive elimination during the past decade.

Hawke's Bay Regional Council currently knows of 330 active rook nesting sites, a cut of almost 85 per cent from the 2790 treated in 2006-2007.

The council says 900 rooks have been removed from Hawke's Bay in the last four months, and contractor Jake Bowcock, of Bay View-based Rural Pest Services, says he's seen the population of rookeries declining at about 20 per cent annually over the last five year, with some completely eradicated.

The goal is to control the spread of rooks south of State Highway 5.

"For some farmers, rooks do a lot of damage to crops that are just emerging from the ground," Council land services manager Campbell Leckie said.

"In Hawke's Bay's current dry period, all crops and grass paddocks become very valuable so removing rooks is another factor in ensuring farmers and growers can manage their land into spring," he said.

In September, Hawke's Bay Regional Council and Rural Pest Services staff will be identifying active rookeries or nesting sites for the annual aerial campaign across the region.

The Council wants people to report nesting rooks from September to October, and is particularly interested to know where new rookeries have established after trees have been removed from farm properties.

Preferred nesting sites are 'old man' pine trees, gums and macrocarpa.

Any new rookeries reported will be controlled by HBRC, and farmers will need to advise on any nearby powerlines or wires that could interfere with helicopter operations, as well as report any sensitive stock in the area that may get frightened by helicopter noise.

- Hawke's Bay farmers who know of rookeries or see more than 30 birds in a paddock can contact either Dean Roughton at HBRC (06 833 8088 or 0800 108 833), or Rural Pest Services' Jake Bowcock (0212-80298)8. Farmers in the Dannevirke-Tararua area can contact Horizons Regional Council's Eric Dodd (0508 800800).