Beyond the sandy beaches and shimmering lagoons of the Cook Islands, there is a jungle war being fought.

The location is Atiu, the third-largest of the Cooks' 15 islands. Its original name is Enuamanu – Island of the Birds. But the island's rare and endangered winged natives are under threat from an avian invader - the common or Indian myna.

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This aggressive bird is listed in the world's top 100 most invasive species and is one of the greatest threats to native birds in Australia, stealing their territory, nesting sites and food.

It is a prolific breeder and a cunning foe, as any backyard gardener trying to protect a fruit crop will know.

But after a five-year battle, the people of Atiu are hopeful that by September this year, their island will become the first in the South Pacific to be free of the myna.

"When we first started off we estimated there were 12,000 to 13,000 myna birds. Now there are less than 100," said George Mateariki.

Birdman George, as he is widely known, leads the ground war against the common myna. The bird was introduced to the island in the early 1900s to control the Coconut Stick-Insect but soon became a pest itself.

"We're not the only people now recognising it's a pest," said Mr Mateariki.

"Samoa, Fiji, Tonga all over the Pacific, the South Pacific, they're trying to control it. We're the first lot in the South Pacific to try to eradicate it."

'No-one wants to do my job': George

Atiu's offensive began with poisoning and shooting. A $1 bounty for a dead bird was boosted to $2. Before long, mynas were dropping from the trees.

But as the myna population has declined, it has become harder to spot the enemy, let alone catch and kill it.

Now George traverses the island's 27 square kilometres every day to check and set cage traps. It is no mean feat. Atiu's central plateau is ringed by a raised, fossilised coral reef, with its caves, crevices and sharp pinnacles covered in dense rainforest.

"No-one on the island wants to do my job," laughs George.

George says Atiu's 480 residents are behind the eradication project. ( ABC: Dominique Schwartz )

"The truck only goes so far. It's a lot of walking and carrying.

"Australia and New Zealand are doing the same but they've got quad bikes and 4x4s. We use what we've got – feet."

The first capture cage George used was an Australian design. He says it was a stepped maze leading to food. The idea was that the myna, once inside, would not be able to find its way out.

"When we tried the trap, the first myna went in and walked back out exactly the same way," he said.

"The trap is confusing for us as humans but that bird just went in and out, then another. Maybe myna birds in Atiu are very, very clever."

The locally designed cages now in use have trapdoors operated by a trip wire. Inside the meshing is not only food but a live myna or "Judas bird" to call in its wild mates.

George says the key to the eradication project's success so far is that all of the island's 480 residents are behind it.

They were galvanized into action after a myna attacked a fledgling Rimatara Lorikeet – an endangered bird that was re-introduced to the island in 2007.

Rimatara lorikeet 'a matter of pride'

"We saw the myna birds attacking the poor little thing coming out of the nest for its first flight and we were all throwing [stones] at it," he said.

The spectacular Rimatara lorikeet was once plentiful across the southern Cook Islands, but its flaming red breast feathers were a prized adornment for the ceremonial clothing of Polynesian chiefs.

George estimates that as many as 1,000 lorikeets would have been killed to provide the feathers for just one head-dress.

It is no wonder then that by the time Captain Cook visited Atiu in the 1770s, he saw the feathers, but not the bird.

For the people of Atiu, it was a matter of pride that the 27 lorikeets re-introduced from Rimatara in French Polynesia not only survived but thrived. And so began the myna war.

The endangered Rimatara lorikeet was once plentiful across the southern Cook Islands. ( Supplied: Philip Griffin )

George sees the benefits every day.

When he is not hunting mynas or running his farm, he is out with tourists pointing out the birds which gave his island its original name.

"The native birds are not shy anymore. They are friendly to the people. The numbers of doves, pigeons [and other native species] have improved a lot," he said.

"We can now pick ripe fruit off the trees," says Roger Malcolm, an Atiu resident who is part of the eradication project.

On my family's bird tour with George, he chops down a big bunch of bananas and points out that it has not been ravaged by hungry mynas.

George says the banana plantations are now a favourite feeding ground for the Rimatara lorikeet, and the native chattering kingfisher is eating the coconut stick-insects, which the mynas were introduced to control.

The Rarotongan flycatcher, back from the brink of extinction, is also flourishing on Atiu.

"Everyone's happy," says Birdman George.

But not as happy as they will be when the last common myna is killed.

"We're going to have a big party down here, that's for sure," he laughs.

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