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Hello all,
I asked Richard Gregson, Wildlife Biologist and Toxicologic Pathologist,
and Past-President of Bird Protection Quebec, about this question. He
points out that the main reason for the decline in numbers of Starlings and
other insect-eating birds is the decline in insects.
He writes:
"This has come up more than once recently.
Almost all bird seed is sold at the cheap end of the market and there is
little information about sources. Some is grown on this continent, some is
surplus to agricultural or food requirements and some is imported. If there
was a serious problem we would be seeing a lot of dead birds around the
feeders and that is not the case.
Remember that neonicotinoid and other seed treatments are only used on seed
to be planted and it would be wasteful and expensive for seed producers to
treat seed for the bird food trade - no doubt some small amounts of treated
seed gets into the supply chain, but I would suggest the amount is small.
There have been cases of lawn seed companies treating seed with substances
that would deter pests from eating them while in storage but that is a
wholly different issue and one that is apparently less so today and the
main company involved stopped doing this in 2008.
There are farms that grow seed specifically for the bird food trade but
those are producing a high-end product for those prepared to pay for it so
the amounts are relatively small - most people buy the cheap stuff from the
supermarket and don't give a thought to its provenance. Finally, seeds
grown from treated seeds do not contain the neonicotinoid at all or to any
significant amount.
The biggest problem for the Starlings and for other birds is that simply
there are fewer insects in the world than there used to be. It's the
insects that are being killed off by these substances; the birds suffer
indirectly by not being able to find all they need. Other factors come in
too - climate change = warmer environment = insects hatching early and out
of sync with birds laying eggs. Stuff like that."
On Wed, Apr 6, 2016 at 2:44 PM, Ian McLaren <I.A.McLaren@dal.ca> wrote:
> All:
>
> While it might be tempting to invoke neonicotinoids in the decline of
> Starlings, the Black-capped Chickadee, surely the feeder seed-eater par
> excellence, has increased here almost five-fold per CBC party-hour during
> the same period, and others (Mourning Dove, N. Cardinal) have spread to and
> increased here, doubtless assisted by winter feeding.
>
> Some have argued that Starlings thrived on garbage - now better managed -
> so maybe my initial
> 'concern' was misplaced.
>
> Ian McLaren
> ________________________________________
> From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca <naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca> on
> behalf of John and Nhung <nhungjohn@eastlink.ca>
> Sent: April 6, 2016 2:30 PM
> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
> Subject: RE: [NatureNS] starlings - bird feed seed treatment
>
> Thanks, folks, for starting this discussion.
>
> I'd like to know a lot more about this, in an easily-digested way!
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca]
> On Behalf Of Stephen Shaw
> Sent: April 6, 2016 1:55 PM
> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] starlings - bird feed seed treatment
>
> Hi Mary,
> But who certifies that seeds are neonic-free? Reading the very brief ABC
> link that you quote, ABC says that they have requested assurance from the
> two largest seed producers that their products are neonicotinoid-free. ABC
> obviously has not received such assurances (yet?) or would have said so, so
> they can't clarify this issue. Reading the back of a couple of my seed
> bags, even the origin of the seeds is not clear/vague ('domestic and
> imported', original supplier not given), and says nothing about pesticide
> content.
>
> Surprising to me, the ABC link says that eating a single treated seed is
> sufficient to kill a bird, but gives no supporting information/references.
> You obviously follow this more than most of us - is this level of
> sensitivity well established, and are there supporting links/references?
> Vertebrates are allegedly much less sensitive to such pesticides than are
> some invertebrates (insects), but perhaps that is not true for neonics?
> Steve (Hfx)
>
>
>
> On Apr 6, 2016, at 11:09 AM, Mary Macaulay <marymacaulay@hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > I have also noticed a precipitous drop in starlings. Not only do they
> > need insects in the spring to feed their young but they're also very
> > dependent on backyard feeders. Bird seed is not safe for birds anymore
> > unless certified to be so. The component seeds are mostly grown using
> > neinicotinoid seed treatments. Here's a link to the American Bird
> > Conservancy's warning
> > https://abcbirds.org/article/conservation-group-seeks-assurance-that-w
> > ild-bird-seed-products-are-pesticide-free/
> >
> > With kindest regards
> >
> > Mary (Macaulay), P.Eng.
> > Queen Bee, Insect Recovery Project
> > Owner, Remember Adventures
> > Pedal Buggy & snowshoe rentals, picnics, great bird friendly coffee,
> breakfast & pasta, pollinator meadow, games & more!!
> > (Open Wed to Sunday: 8:30 am)
> > 365 Main Street & Station Road
> > Trans-Canada Trail
> > Tatamagouche
> > RememberAdventures.ca & InsectRecovery.org
> > 1-902-657-0054
> > Twitter @RememberTata & @InsectRecovery
>
>
> ---
> This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
> https://www.avast.com/antivirus
>
>
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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div><div>Hello all,<br><br></div>I asked Richard Gregson,=
Wildlife Biologist and Toxicologic Pathologist, and Past-President of Bird=
Protection Quebec, about this question.=C2=A0 He points out that the main =
reason for the decline in numbers of Starlings and other insect-eating bird=
s is the decline in insects.=C2=A0=C2=A0 <br><br>He writes:=C2=A0 <br><br>&=
quot;This has come up more than once recently. <br>
<br>
Almost all bird seed is sold at the cheap end of the market and there is
little information about sources. Some is grown on this continent, some
is surplus to agricultural or food requirements and some is imported.=20
If there was a serious problem we would be seeing a lot of dead birds=20
around the feeders and that is not the case. <br><br>Remember that neonicot=
inoid
and other seed treatments are only used on seed to be planted and it=20
would be wastef