PESTICIDE POISONING OF BIRDS IN SOUTH AFRICA

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PESTICIDE POISONING OF BIRDS IN SOUTH AFRICA
Dr Gerhard H Verdoorn Griffon Poison Information
Centre 082-446-8946 nesher_at_tiscali.co.za
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BIRD SPECIES MOST LIKELY TO BE POISONED BY
PESTICIDES

• Game birds
• Helmeted guineafowl, francolin, doves, pigeons
• Waterfowl
• Ducks, geese, some waders
• Birds of prey
• Vultures, eagles, hawks, falcons, owls
• Seed-eaters
• Red-billed quelea, weavers
• Frugivorous birds
• Mousebirds, bulbuls, white-eyes, sparrows,
  starlings
• Insectivorous birds
• Storks, cranes, bustards, korhaans, egrets,
  oxpeckers

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CIRCUMSTANCES LEADING TO BIRD POISONING

• Game birds
• Alleged crop damage source of protein incorrect
  pesticide application
• Waterfowl
• Alleged crop damage source of protein
• Birds of prey
• Predator poisoning livestock predation rodent
  management red-billed quelea poisoning
  traditional medicine harvesting
• Seed-eaters
• Red-billed quelea control impacts on small grain
  crops
• Frugivorous birds
• Impacts on fruit crops and urban gardens
• Insectivorous birds
• Locust management incorrect fodder crop pest
  management incorrect cash crop pest management

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METHODS USED FOR POISONING BIRDS

• Game birds
• Poisoned grain aerial application of highly
  toxic insecticides
• Waterfowl
• Poisoned grain poisoned water
• Birds of prey
• Poisoned animal carcasses poisoned baits
  irresponsible rodenticide application
• Seed-eaters
• Poisoned grain poisoned drinking spots illegal
  aerial application of highly toxic insecticides
  against quelea
• Frugivorous birds
• Poisoned fruit
• Insectivorous birds
• Illegal locust control operations application of
  highly toxic insecticides to fodder and cash
  crops in sensitive bird areas

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INDIVIDUALS WHO POISON BIRDS

• Game birds
• Illegal immigrants farm workers migrant
  workers irresponsible crop farmers
• Waterfowl
• Illegal immigrants farm workers migrant
  workers irresponsible farmers
• Birds of prey
• Irresponsible livestock farmers irresponsible
  game farmers traditional healers dealers in
  traditional medicine
• Seed-eaters
• Irresponsible crop farmers
• Frugivorous birds
• Irresponsible crop farmers and urban residents
• Insectivorous birds
• Locust officers irresponsible crop livestock
  farmers

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PESTICIDES INVOLVED IN BIRD POISONING

• Game birds
• Monocrotophos, parathion, diazinon, fenthion,
  carbofuran, aldicarb, chlorpyrifos
• Waterfowl
• Monocrotophos, parathion, diazinon, fenthion,
  carbofuran, aldicarb, chlorpyrifos
• Birds of prey
• Aldicarb, carbofuran, diazinon
• Seed-eaters
• Fenthion, monocrotophos, methamidophos,
  chlorpyrifos
• Frugivorous birds
• Chlorpyrifos, monocrotophos
• Insectivorous birds
• Parathion, ?-BHC, monocrotophos, chlorfenvinphos,
  methamidophos, carbofuran, aldicarb

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SOME RESULTS OF BIRD POISONING

• 1,000 Helmeted guineafowl, Swartruggens,
  Northwest
• 58 Cape Griffon vultures, Derby, Northwest
• 500 Black-shouldered kites and owls,
  Potgietersrus, Limpopo
• 400 Egyptian geese and spur-winged geese
  Aliwal-North, Eastern Cape
• 13 Blue cranes Devon, Gauteng
• 220 White storks Noupoort, Karoo
• 106 Vultures, Mareetsane, Northwest
• 22 Vultures, Balule, Limpopo
• 1,000 helmeted guineafowl, Bethlehem, Free State

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SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT

• Bird poisoning is nearly always linked to
  irresponsible pesticide misuse
• Legal and responsible pesticide application poses
  very little risk to birds
• Some key products (diazinon, chlorfenvinphos,
  monocrotophos) are implicated in bird poisoning
  even if used responsibly
• Agrochemical industry has been actively promoting
  the responsible use of pesticides in order to
  avoid poisoning
• End users of pesticides still need LOTS of
  education
• Pesticides are not the problem it is individuals
  who abuse the products

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Thank you