Fwd: [IN-BIRD] ABC Position Statement- West Nile Virus

[Ron Gatrelle]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Cherubini" <monarch at saber.net>
Subject: Re: Fwd: [IN-BIRD] ABC Position Statement- West Nile Virus


> Liz Day wrote:
> >
 This came through the birdwatching list and is an interesting discussion
of
 the merits or demerits of mosquito control.  It starts out about birds
but> it turns out to be about insects and everything else.  Worth a read.
>
> In the article it states:
>
> "Organophosphates, due to their acute and sub-lethal toxic effects to
birds
> other wildlife, and humans, should not be used for mosquito control.
> Pyrethroids are highly acutely toxic to non-target and
> beneficial insects, and to practically all aquatic life."
>
> I think alot of commercial bird breeders and poultry farmers would
> get a good belly laugh out of this article.  They spray a San Francisco
> like fog of these same mosquito control pesticides right over the top
> of their birds to control flies, feather mites and such at far higher
concentrations
> than are used for mosquito control.  They tell me the birds "love it"
> as it gives them relief from itching and irritation. These bird farmers
> would not use the pesticides if they interferred with bird health and
> breeding in any way. To the contrary, pesticides and a wide array of
> disinfectants are sprayed to maintain and enhance bird health and
> reproduction.
>

This reminded me of the following.  Growing up in Buffalo, Iowa I raised
"fancy" pigeons for many years - Fantails, Trumpeters, Rollers, Tumblers,
Turbits, Frillbacks and several more types.   The number of birds ran from
250 to 300.  It all ended abruptly one morning when we found that someone
had broken into the coup and stolen almost every one.  I was so heart
broken at the loss of these "friends" that I have never gotten back into
pigeons.  Well, every few months we had to "dip" the pigeons in pesticides
diluted in water to rid the birds of lice.  Without this they were
miserable - esp. in the hot summer.  You could literally see the stress in
their eyes.  After a de-lousing not only did their physical weight, feather
sheen, and other signs of physical health improve -- so did their mental
well being and social structure (mating and reproduction).  I can say from
personal experience that the birds indeed love the results and liked
getting wet too.

Like all of us I watch a fair bit of wildlife TV.   It is not infrequent on
these shows to see birds.  I can not help but notice that at times the
individual birds or gatherings are involved in heavy pruning.  Once one is
aware of how lice can plague birds, one can note that the birds being shown
are not "just pruning"  they are miserable.  They are not doing that to
"enjoy" it, the activity is now a matter of survival.

Paul is always correct about this one thing.  There are X number of people
in this world who have a totally fanciful and thus unrealistic way of
viewing the natural world.  (They are living in a Dr. Doolittle movie.)  If
birds had the capacity they would doubtless first kill all the cats and
then develop "medication" (just like human head lice kits) to exterminate
feather mites and bird lice.   Butterflies.are lice cousins.
Cheers
Ron

PS  I stuck that last phrase on this post to make it relative to Leps-l.


 
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