Pesticides on Birds Are Seriously

¶ … Pesticides on Birds

Birds are seriously affected by the uncontrolled use of pesticides as they can both kill and injure the bird population. These effects on birds can result from direct or indirect exposure to pesticides including the most dangerous insecticide, DDT. DDT it was found can damage the nervous system of birds which results in death. Apart from killing them, DDT could also prove detrimental to reproductive health of birds. DDT is now banned in the United States but during the three decades that it was allowed and was carelessly used, this insecticide was proved to be the "the most widespread and pernicious of global pollutants," (Cox) because of its seriously negative effects on bird population. Even after it was banned, other pesticides have continued to affect birds both directly and indirectly.

Since 1972, some very toxic varieties of pesticides continue to harm birds. While DDT is not used in the U.S., it is still being used in other countries and thus bird population is not entirely save from damaging effects of DDT. "Stories of birds killed by DDT not directly, but indirectly by consuming prey that contained high residues of the insecticide were common when DDT was in frequent use. However, similar situations also exist with other insecticides. Some of the best information about this kind of poisoning comes from studies of pour-on organophosphate insecticides (famphur, for example) used to kill warbles, flies that live just under the skin of cattle. Famphur poured onto cattle was shown to cause subsequent poisoning of magpies, birds that feed on cattle hair for part of their diet. In addition, researchers found three red-tailed hawks (two dead) that had been poisoned by the famphur after eating poisoned magpies." (Cox)

In most countries, some very popular and properly registered pesticides can kill birds or injure bird population. These pesticides are cholinesterase-inhibiting organophosphates and carbamates. The reason for their popularity is their low cost and their ability to work against a wide variety of insects. However when those very insects are consumed by birds, the result is fatal as birds either die or develop abnormalities in their reproductive system. Some target specific pesticides are less toxic and may not harm the bird population but still caution must be applied. Diazinon is the most lethal insecticide and some recent cases have shown their detrimental impact on birds. Insects and vegetation under pesticide treatment are the biggest cause of lethal poisoning of birds. It must also be pointed out that birds may not immediately die after consuming pesticides. There are instances when birds after having tasted pesticides would start losing weight. Their health suffers and they become more vulnerable to other predators such as bad weather or scavengers such as eagles.