Neonicotinoids and Birds
Having discussed the effect that neonicotinoids have on pollinating insects in my last blog, researchers now found that these pesticides also cause migrating birds to lose their sense of direction and suffer up to 25% weight loss. In Canada farmland birds have declined drastically in recent decades and pesticides appear to be playing a role. One study found bird populations fell most sharply in the areas where neonicotinoid pollution was highest, with swallows and starlings suffering the most. Seed sowing coincides perfectly with birds are migrating north – many are stopping in agricultural fields to feed, exposing them to the pesticides. Neonicotinoids are usually applied to seeds, which can be eaten by everything from Canadian geese to deer, raccoons, rabbits, moles, voles, mice, rats and squirrels. Canada is also considering a total ban on the use of neonicotinoids after research shows that it would not reduce food production on almost all farms.
gogreenpestcontrol.ca Ladner tsawwassen Delta B.C. Randy Bilesky
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/neonicotinoids-birds-randy-bilesky/?published=t
