Waikato Regional Council has launched a campaign to destroy nests of rooks which it says pose a serious threat to the region's agricultural industry.
A council Biosecurity Officer, Dave Hodges, says the birds, native to Northern hemisphere countries, uproot crops, tear up pasture and rip open silage covers.
While it is not possible to eradicate rooks, he says, it is important to keep their numbers down because of the damage they do.
Mr Hodges says ground baiting and poisoning of nests is the main way of dealing with the birds.
