Image: save the tree martins petition
In the heart of Adelaide, tree martins displaced from Leigh Street by council netting have now flocked to Rundle Mall, where many have been found injured or dead.
Leigh Street, usually known for its lively bar scene, had become the seasonal roosting site for up to 10,000 tree martins—a small migratory bird whose numbers are in decline across the country.
When the trees the birds roosted in were netted off last year, it led to a wave of accidental deaths and injuries. Now, these tiny birds have been flying into shopfront windows, with dozens found injured or dead each day.
A change.org petition launched to help the birds says that wide-aperture netting is dangerous to wildlife and forces the birds to seek new places to roost.
Volunteer carers, already overwhelmed by the scale of the problem, have been collecting injured and dead birds daily. Documented injuries include open fractures, broken beaks, ruptured eyes, and severe head trauma.
Many have died from shock before even reaching a vet. While rescuers are doing everything they can, the toll could already be as high as 10 per cent of the total flock.
In response to the growing backlash, Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith issued a statement outlining steps the council is now taking, in partnership with Green Adelaide and Professor Chris Daniels. These include removing netting from some trees on Leigh Street in the hopes that the birds might return, adjusting lighting in Rundle Mall to reduce disorientation, and encouraging businesses to apply bird-safe window treatments.
Ornithologists have also been engaged to monitor the situation and provide guidance for future actions.
In an interview with ABC Breakfast, Adelaide Lord Mayor Dr Jane Lomax-Smith said, “This has been an evolving situation over several weeks, and I have to acknowledge Professor Chris Daniels, Green Adelaide, the department, and all the experts and volunteers.
“The council has been working with all those groups almost on a daily basis to try and manage what is, in fact, a tricky situation.”
“We’ve planted so many trees, we’ve created these micro-environments, and now we have to manage the colonies—amazing, amazing colonies of birds that have moved in. It’s an unintended consequence of creating so much green infrastructure in the city. We’re used to managing wildlife in the parklands, but when they’re in the CBD, it’s a new problem.”
At a council meeting on 22 April, councillors voted to remove half of the netting from the trees on Leigh Street. The netting has already been removed as part of the ongoing efforts to address the issue.
A working group consisting of representatives from the City of Adelaide, Green Adelaide, wildlife rescue volunteers, and retailers has been formed to ensure a coordinated approach to the problem, both now and in the long term.
The Lord Mayor said the council is listening to advice from wildlife experts as it responds to “a very complex and moving situation.”
“These initiatives are just some of the steps we are taking for the remainder of the season, and further work will be done to protect the birds during future migrations,” she said.
“We are very grateful to Green Adelaide for its guidance and advice, and to all the wildlife rescue volunteers for caring for the birds.”
The Lord Mayor acknowledged that the situation was an unintended consequence of the city’s green infrastructure.
“We’ve planted so many trees and, in doing so, we’ve created micro-environments. Now, we are trying to manage the amazing colonies of birds that have moved in.”
“It’s a challenge we’ve uncovered, and we are going to manage it carefully moving forward.”
Green Adelaide Acting Director Dr Stuart Collard said the initiatives being taken by the City of Adelaide were positive steps forward.
“The Adelaide tree martin roost is a significant aggregation and an excellent example of how our city can play an important role in wildlife conservation,” Dr Collard said.
“We remain in conversation with the City of Adelaide to help address immediate impacts on the tree martins and develop long-term strategies for their conservation and management.”
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