Serious pests flying free in suburbia

Devonport residents are being asked to report any sightings of a pair of rowdy, exotic birds listed as one of the world's most serious pest invaders.

A pair of red-vented bulbul birds, native to India and other parts of Asia but also found in Australia and Fiji, must be caught before they can breed, said Biosecurity New Zealand spokesman Phil Barclay.

"They're a serious fruit and plant pest and attack and drive away other birds," he said.

It was not clear how the birds got here but it was likely they came on a ship or yacht and were deliberately released, he said.

The blackbird-sized birds are aggressive and boisterous and make a series of raucous calls. They are dark brown with a light-coloured abdomen and distinctive crimson patch beneath their tail. They have a black head with a small, peaked crest.

It's the second time red-vented bulbuls have been spotted in Auckland. In the 1950s, a population of about 50 established between Takapuna and Mt Eden after being released from a ship. It took until 1955 to wipe them out.

One has been spotted eating grapes from a compost heap and the other feeding on feijoas in a backyard.

Mr Barclay said one was initially spotted late last year but a pair were seen last month.

"They have a range of at least 2km so we are depending on sightings by the public to track them down," he said.

Department of Conservation staff were helping in the hunt for the birds which would be either trapped or poisoned, depending on where they were found.

It was unlikely the birds were carriers of Asian bird flu. Red-vented bulbuls are popular cage birds in Asia.

* Biosecurity New Zealand is asking anyone who spots a red-vented bulbul to call the MAF Exotic Disease and Pest Emergency Hotline on 0800 80 99 66 to report its location as soon as possible.