Millions of birds killed in the USA by mining claim posts

Marker posts killing untold number of birds

May 2012. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the U.S.D.A. Forest Service (FS), and American Bird Conservancy (ABC) have begun identifying and implementing solutions to solve a widespread and potentially enormous bird mortality threat that is associated with 3.4 million mining claims on public lands, mainly in the west of USA.

Birds trapped by mining prospector claims
Small birds apparently see the opening of PVC pipes used to mark mining claims as a hollow suitable for roosting or nesting or possibly gathering to pool body heat during migration. The birds may enter the holes, only to become trapped because the walls are too smooth to allow them to grapple their way up the sides and the pipes are too narrow for the birds to extend their wings and fly out. Death from dehydration or starvation follows.

Kills 1 million plus birds every year"This is a very significant bird mortality threat, likely accounting for a million or more bird deaths each year," said Darin Schroeder, Vice President for Conservation Advocacy for ABC. "Many of the birds tragically found dead in these pipes are also experiencing declines in their populations. American Bird Conservancy believes the agencies must act quickly and require mining companies to replace their uncapped PVC pipe-markers with solid, high-visibility stakes when they seek claim re-registration in order to prevent further unnecessary bird deaths."

Continued:  http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/usa-birds.html

$4.5 million fine US industrial for distributing contaminated birdseed

Highlights need for constant monitoring

February 2012: Gardening company Scotts Miracle-Gro has pleaded guilty to charges of distributing insecticide-tainted bird seed, highlighting the need for continued monitoring of the safety of bird seed supply in the US, says American Bird Conservancy (ABC).

In April 2011, ABC announced the results of its independent bird seeding testing efforts that were undertaken as a result of sporadic wild bird seed contamination incidents. The study analysed samples taken from four different supply sources across the country: Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, and Target.

Random tests on bird feedBird seed was randomly purchased from the stores and then tested at the California Food Safety Laboratory at the University of California, Davis. The studies specifically looked for harmful pesticides, such as organophosphate and carbamate insecticides.

‘We found that all of the tested bird seed was either free from pesticides or that pesticides occurred at only trace levels that would not threaten bird health. For the safety of the billions of birds that are fed by millions of Americans at backyard feeders, and in the light of this recent case against Scotts, this is clearly an issue that requires greater public attention,' said George Fenwick, president of ABC. 

Insecticide was labelled: 'Toxic to birds. Toxic to wildlife'According to court records, in 2008, Scotts distributed 73 million packages of birdseed coated with the insecticides Storcide II and Actellic 5E (containing the active ingredient chlorpyrifos and pirimiphos-methyl respectively), intended to keep insects from destroying the seed. They did this despite being alerted to toxicity dangers by a staff chemist and ornithologist. Storcide II is even labelled as ‘Toxic to birds. Toxic to wildlife,' and adds: ‘Exposed treated seed may be hazardous to birds.' 

No such warning exists on the Actellic 5E label, however. The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) own fact sheet on pirimiphos-mehtyl states that ‘Ecological risks are not of concern to the Agency. 'Yet the same fact sheet also says: ‘Although pirimphos-methyl is highly toxic to birds and fish, these risks are not of concern based on the use pattern of pirimiphos-methyl.' Clearly the EPA did not anticipate this chemical to be used on anything intentionally fed to birds.

‘EPA needs to amend the use label for Actellic 5E and any other pesticide containing the same active ingredient, pirimiphos-methyl, to agree with their own fact sheet, and ensure that no other birds are poisoned by seed dosed with this toxic chemical,' said Fenwick. ‘This highlights a key problem that pesticide labels are written by the pesticide registrant, not EPA. In some cases, it would seem that EPA is not effectively checking that the labels encompass the agency's responsibilities for birds.'

The plea agreement that will result in Scotts paying $4.5 million (£2.8 million) in fines must still be approved by the US District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/bird-seed2012.html