Barn Owls, Red Kites and Kestrels posioned (1 Viewer)

[MorteBirder]

Barn Owls, Red Kites and Kestrels poisoned

According to latest figures by CEH’s Predatory Bird Monitoring Programme, 84% of Barn Owls, 91% of Red Kites and 100% of Kestrels in the UK contain Second Generation Anti-coagulant Rodenticides. A petition by the Barn Owl Trust aims to bring an end to inadequate and misleading product labelling and a complete ban on permanent baiting. These are our birds! Please consider signing their petition at;

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/To_Mike_Penning_MP_and_the_Health_and_Safety_Executive_Save_Britains_Barn_Owls


“Highly toxic rat poisons called Second Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (SGARs) were first introduced in the 1970’s. Since then the proportion of Barn Owls found to contain this type of poison has increased from 5% in 1984 to 91% in 2010, and in 2011 the proportion of Kestrels contaminated reached 100%. Some birds die as a direct result – typically bleeding to death from internal haemorrhage. The effects of sub-lethal doses are unknown although the anticoagulant Warfarin in humans can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and fever – and Warfarin is 100 to 1,000 times less acutely toxic than SGARs. It is probable that SGAR poisoning is a significant cause of Barn Owl decline and there is no doubt that the overall effect on predatory birds is negative.

There is no effective control over the use of these highly toxic poisons which are widely sold to the general public, used on 76% of farms and by 75% of gamekeepers. Although 40% of all SGAR use is by professionals, anyone can set themselves up as a Pest Controller as no qualifications are required.

The current labelling of these highly toxic products is both inadequate and misleading. For example, the danger to predatory birds is not mentioned. Use only as a last resort is not mentioned. The fact that permanent/preventative baiting encourages consumption by non-target small mammals (which are then eaten by owls and Kestrels), and the build-up of resistance to SGARs in rats, is not mentioned. Current Directions for Use imply that bait covering, carcass removal, and removal of uneaten bait will adequately protect non-target species. This is untrue and misleading.

Controls on the use of SGARs are currently under review by the Chemicals Regulation Directorate of the Health and Safety Executive. Additionally, under EU regulation, member states are only permitted to allow the use of SGARs “subject to appropriate risk-mitigation measures to ensure that exposure of humans, animals and the environment to those active substances is minimised”. As a fundamental element of risk mitigation, we call upon Minister Mike Penning to ensure that the measures set out above are undertaken”

More information can be found below;

http://www.barnowltrust.org.uk/infopage.html?Id=343

Please consider signing their petition at;

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/To_Mike_Penning_MP_and_the_Health_and_Safety_Executive_Save_Britains_Barn_Owls

 

[Mayo Corncrake]

Signed.
I treated a sparrowhawk with warfarin poisoning last year. She didn't make it. All raptors who feed on rodents are at risk.

 

[John o'Sullivan]

Signed up

 

[dantheman]

+1

 

[Original PaulE]

i've signed!

 

[john-henry]

Just seen this, and signed.

 

[john-henry]

just signed, twice!

 

[Peewit]

Makes us think about the poison that we produce on the open market for killing of rodents etc...BUT never think of the HUNTERS that needs to feed of the rodents, and they suffer and die.

Signed this as already seen on Facebook

Regards
Kathy
x

 

[AlfArbuthnot]

According to latest figures by CEH’s Predatory Bird Monitoring Programme, 84% of Barn Owls, 91% of Red Kites and 100% of Kestrels in the UK contain Second Generation Anti-coagulant Rodenticides.

That's a bit misleading. It's not quite as bad as this sounds.

For one thing, these figures are just for 2011. They're not the trend, and they are the raw figures, not the adjusted figures that take into account sampling methods. The 'actual' figure for barn owls is 26%.

The second point is that the samples were small - 58 owls, 18 kites, and 20 kestrels. That's very low statistical power.

The third point is, 'does this matter'? We humans are full of PCBs, synthetic hormones and christ knows what other cr4p in our blood and fat.

Here's what the report says about the rodenticides in barn owls: "The majority of the residues were low and not diagnosed as directly causing mortality."

It goes on "The livers from 18 red kites were analysed in 2011. Most (94%) had detectable liver SGAR concentrations, again mainly
difenacoum and bromadiolone, although brodifacoum was also detected in 78% of the birds. Six of the red kites analysed showed signs of haemorrhaging thought possibly to be associated
with rodenticide poisoning. However, only two of these birds had relatively high sum SGAR liver concentrations (>0.4 μg/g wet weight) and the contribution of SGARs, if any, to the death of the other four birds is uncertain. SGARs were detected in all 20 kestrel analysed. The most
prevalent rodenticides detected in kestrel livers were difenacoum and bromadiolone. The co-occurrence of multiple residues was also prevalent
with 19 out of 20 kestrels having more than one SGAR present in their liver."

So these rodenticides aren't great, and they are getting into the food chain, but I think the barn owl trust is being a bit loose with the facts and being a bit alarmist. If these rodenticides are banned or put under tighter control, something else will be needed in their place.

That's a bigger question, but I don't thank the barn owl trust for trying to hoodwink me that banning these rodenticides will 'save Britain's barn owls', as the petition is called. For a start, barn owls don't need saving as they are not being wiped out by these chemicals - in fact they are increasing, as this BTO data shows (the big dip in the last two years is due to weather) http://blx1.bto.org/birdtrends/species.jsp?&s=barow

So I'm all for chemical control and science-based decision-making, but I don't appreciate people bending the truth and ignoring the facts that don't suit them, such as the real rate being 26% (not 84%), most owls have very low levels, and the barn owl population is increasing.

The 2011 report is here https://wiki.ceh.ac.uk/download/att....pdf?version=1&modificationDate=1361181795000

 

[barontan2418]

Signed with pleasure and in hope something is done about this terrible situation. I remember the lack of raptors in the 60's we don't want this to occur again.

 

[Boro Birder]

Each time I put in my email it's not letting me go any further, keeps saying it needs my email address. ???

 

[Clive A]

+1 more

 

[Boro Birder]

Put my email in both boxes and it keeps saying it needs my email, dnt know what's wrong with it, no doubt my error.