Impacts of Carbofuran on Birds in Canada and the United States

Mineau, Pierre; Lyon, Linda A.; McMillin, Stella C.

doi:10.1002/9781119998532.ch8

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…On the other hand, in the surrounding areas the causes of mortality are mainly associated with the ingestion of poisoned baits used by local hunters and shepherds to control carnivores 27 50 and with accidents involving human-made structures such as wind farms 51 52 53 . Counteracting the use of poison may be feasible in the long-term but the total eradication of this practice is unlikely without great efforts in public education 54 55 . The reduction of the risk of mortality at wind farms may be more attainable because these accidents follow a spatially contagious distribution 56 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modeling the consequences of the demise and potential recovery of a keystone-species: wild rabbits and avian scavengers in Mediterranean landscapes

Cortés‐Avizanda

Colomer

Margalida

et al. 2015

Sci Rep

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Restoration of demised keystone-species populations is an overriding concern in conservation biology. However, since no population is independent of its environment, progress is needed in predicting the efficacy of restoration in unstable ecological contexts. Here, by means of Population Dynamics P-system Models (PDP), we studied long-term changes in the population size of Egyptian vultures (Neophron percnopterus) inhabiting a Natural Park, northern Spain, to changes in the numbers of wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), a keystone-species of Mediterranean ecosystems that have suffered >90% population decline after a hemorrhagic disease outbreak. Low availability of rabbit carcasses leads Egyptian vultures to extend their foraging activities to unprotected areas with higher non-natural mortality whereas growing numbers of griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus), a dominant competitor, progressively monopolize trophic resources resulting in a focal population decrease. Modeling shows that, even if keystone-species populations recover in core protected areas, the return to the original studied population size may be unfeasible, due to both the high non-natural mortality rates in humanized areas and long-term changes in the scavenger guild structure. Policy decisions aimed to restore keystone-species should rely on holistic approaches integrating the effects of spatial heterogeneity on both producer and consumer populations as well as within-guild processes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modeling the consequences of the demise and potential recovery of a keystone-species: wild rabbits and avian scavengers in Mediterranean landscapes

Cortés‐Avizanda

Colomer

Margalida

et al. 2015

Sci Rep

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“…The evaluation of chemical pesticides is a process that is continuously evolving as more data is made available for inclusion in risk assessments (Story et al . 2011), with the use pattern and formulation of chemical pesticides being key factors in the assessment of potential impacts (Mineau 1993). Although previous research has demonstrated that individual birds are exposed to pesticides during locust control using ULV fenitrothion at an application rate of 260 g ai ha −1 , landscape-level changes in avian assemblages resulting from single applications appear unlikely.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Avian assemblages are maintained after aerial applications of ULV fenitrothion for control of the Australian plague locust (Chortoicetes terminifera (Walker)) in arid and semiarid agroecosystems

Story

French

2023

Wildlife Res.

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Context Risk assessments currently undertaken to approve pesticides for use against locusts in Australia are predominated by laboratory-generated data, often collected from non-endemic species. Very little information exists concerning the potential ecological effects of insecticides used for locust control. Aim To determine the effect of aerial ultra-low volume (ULV) applications of the organophosphorous insecticide, fenitrothion (used for locust control), on avian assemblages in arid and semiarid agro-ecosystems. Methods Avian abundance was surveyed in pesticide-exposed and unexposed locations during standard locust control operations, using fenitrothion, in western New South Wales and Queensland in the spring and summer of 1996, 1997 and 2000, using a transect-point method. Temporal changes in assemblages were analysed using multi-dimensional ordination (MDS) and permutational analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) with PRIMER (V7). Key results Avian assemblages varied over time, independent of pesticide application, reflecting significant redistribution and mobility of birds across a highly disturbed agricultural landscape, irrespective of pesticide exposure. Additionally, pesticide exposure did not affect species abundance or diversity. Conclusions There was no evidence that ultra-low volume (ULV) applications of fenitrothion, currently used in locust control, are impacting avian assemblages, despite previous research indicating that individual birds co-occurring with spray operations suffer suppressions in the enzymatic biomarker for OP exposure, plasma acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Implications Although the risk to avian assemblages associated with the aerial application of locusticides is reduced by the small proportion of the landscape where locust control activities are focused, any change in spray application parameters would necessitate a re-evaluation of the risks associated with insecticide exposure.

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“…Granular carbofuran was another option to reduce bird damage that was promoted in early agricultural articles in Taiwan (Hong et al 2018). There is much evidence that carbofuran granules are ingested by birds with lethal consequences (Balcomb 1983, Stafford and Best 1999, Mineau et al 2011. It is currently controversial whether such killing of pest birds is illegal given that the Taiwanese Wildlife Conservation Act gives farmers the right to protect their crops.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors affecting intentional bird poisoning on bean farms in Taiwan: seeding methods and the presence of adjoining duck farms matter

Hong¹,

Lin²,

Sun³

et al. 2021

ACE

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Intentional poisoning is a common practice to reduce bird damage to agricultural crops. Understanding the extent, distribution, and influencing factors of such incidents is key to reducing poisoning of farmland birds and scavengers which are threatened via secondary poisoning. We recruited volunteers to look for dead birds in red bean (Vigna angularis) farms during the seeding period in autumn 2016. A total of 5,441 fields were surveyed, and 51 bird poisoning incidents were identified. We recorded 1,995 dead birds during the survey (39.1 ± 29.7 per incident ± SD), mostly seed-eating birds. We tested two possible factors influencing the practice of intentional poisoning: seeding methods and whether the red bean farm was adjacent to duck farms. Among three seeding methods, broadcast seeding does not cover the seeds with soils and resulted in a significantly higher proportion of bird poisoning incidents when compared to the whole study area. However, when red bean farms were adjacent to the duck farms, there were no differences in the percentage of poisoning incidents among seeding methods but the number of dead birds was two times higher compared to incidents that were not adjacent to the duck farms. We suspect that birds congregating at duck farms resulted in neighboring farmers taking anti-bird measures, regardless of seeding methods. We map bird poisoning hot spots and provide evidence that changing seeding method and limiting the number of wild birds congregating near duck farms would help reduce bird damage and intentional bird poisoning on red bean farms. Finally, we demonstrated that citizen scientists can make a significant contribution to conservation. Facteurs qui affectent l'empoisonnement intentionnel des oiseaux dans les exploitations de haricots à Taiwan : les méthodes d'ensemencement et la proximité d'élevages de canards jouent un rôleRÉSUMÉ. L'empoisonnement intentionnel est une pratique courante pour réduire les dommages causés par les oiseaux aux récoltes agricoles. La compréhension de l'étendue, de la répartition et des facteurs responsables de tels incidents est essentielle pour réduire l'empoisonnement des oiseaux des champs et des charognards qui sont menacés par l'empoisonnement secondaire. Nous avons recruté des volontaires pour rechercher des oiseaux morts sur des exploitations de haricots rouges du Japon (Vigna angularis) pendant la période d'ensemencement à l'automne 2016. En tout, 5 441 champs ont été observés et 51 incidents d'empoisonnement d'oiseaux ont été identifiés. Nous avons enregistré 1 995 oiseaux morts pendant cette étude (39,1 ± 29,7 par incident ± la déviation standard). Il s'agissait principalement d'oiseaux granivores. Nous avons testé deux facteurs susceptibles d'influencer la pratique de l'empoisonnement intentionnel : les méthodes d'ensemencement et la proximité d'élevages de canards. Parmi les trois méthodes d'ensemencement, le semis à la volée ne recouvre pas les graines de terre et a entraîné une proportion nettement supérieure d'incidents d'empoisonnement d'oiseaux ...

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Impacts of Carbofuran on Birds in Canada and the United States

Cited by 4 publications

References 38 publications

Modeling the consequences of the demise and potential recovery of a keystone-species: wild rabbits and avian scavengers in Mediterranean landscapes

Modeling the consequences of the demise and potential recovery of a keystone-species: wild rabbits and avian scavengers in Mediterranean landscapes

Avian assemblages are maintained after aerial applications of ULV fenitrothion for control of the Australian plague locust (Chortoicetes terminifera (Walker)) in arid and semiarid agroecosystems

Factors affecting intentional bird poisoning on bean farms in Taiwan: seeding methods and the presence of adjoining duck farms matter

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