Because you have many bird species visiting for food does not mean that they are happily co-existing. You need to research the problems this bird causes. They will never be eradicated in this country but there is a real need to bring their numbers down as much as possible. They eat the young of other birds, they displace the eggs and young of our native birds, taking over the nesting hollows, especially of our parrots. They use up the food sources of our native birds. They are verminous, nest in roof spaces and carry parasites such as mites which transfer from the birds to the nest and then migrate into the house. These parasites carry diseases and viruses.

If we were to take on board Della Rodolfa's ethics on introduced species, we would lose most of our native birds, and would take no action on foxes, rabbits and feral cats.

Pamela Fawke, convener, Dunlop Environment Volunteers (Ginninderra Catchment Group) and member of the Canberra Indian Myna Action

Hypocrisy on Fiji

Congratulations to Crispin Hull for highlighting the hollow posturing of Kevin Rudd and Helen Clark on the subject of Fijian democracy (''Reinstating Fiji's old constitution won't restore democracy'', August 23, pB7).

The purported reason for the coup led by Frank Bainimarama was to rid the Fijian constitution of its racist and feudal aspects, thereby democratising the Fijian polity, which seems like a laudable scheme.

Why then has the Rudd Government and its predecessor been more condemnatory of Bainimarama's Government than they ever were of Sitiveni Rabuka's racist and anti-democratic regime and those that followed from it?

If prime ministers Rudd and Clark want to hang tough on democracy and civil rights in our region, then the elephant in the room is the Chinese regime.

Kevin Rudd isn't going to rock that boat. Like a schoolyard bully, he's a kiss-up, kick down sort of guy all talk, no trousers.

Hamish Davidson, Narrabundah

US surge ineffective

I share Andrew Mack's view that the US surge, contrary to Senator John McCain and the Bush Administration's assertions, played an insignificant part in reducing the level of violence in Iraq and halting the murderous activities of al-Qaeda (''Security role of US surge modest'', August 25, p11).

The Iraqis will tell you that during Saddam's era al-Qaeda had no foothold in their country. The dismantling of the Iraqi military and the police institutions that were held in high esteem by the Iraqis removed, at a stroke, the security from Iraq's borders, thus inviting al-Qaeda into the country.

The current low level of violence is less to do with the surge and more with the fact that the Iraqis have become weary of killing. They have paid dearly for the US's mistakes, though they are yet to experience any benefits.

Sam Nona, Burradoo, NSW