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Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Wildlife Toxicology

Study site locations: North Dakota - Avicide Exposure

An avicide (DRC 1339) proposed for use to protect ripening sunflowers from damage by blackbirds in North and South Dakota was negatively impacting other bird species, especially sparrows and mourning doves.  The avicide was present in the gastrointestinal tracts of nearly all non-target birds and some kidney tissue was damaged as a result of the sunflower field treatments.

 

Percent of birds with Avicide
   

Custer, T. W., C. M. Custer, P. M. Dummer, G. M. Linz, L. Sileo, R. S. Sahl, and J. J. Johnson. 2003. Nontarget bird exposure to DRC-1339 during fall in North Dakota and spring in South Dakota. Pages 64 - 70 in Symposium on North American Blackbirds, Wildlife Society Meeting, Bismarck, ND Sept 24-28, 2002. USDA-APHIS Technical Bulletin. (Abstract)

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Page Last Modified: January 26, 2011