Ronald B. Brunton

A summary of the acute toxicity of 4-aminopyridine to birds and mammals

Acute toxicity data for 41 species of birds and mammals are summarized for 4-aminopyridine (4AP), an agent that can be used to control damage caused by birds. Acute po LD50 values for the free base of 4AP ranged from <1.0 mg/kg for the shiny cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis) to 20 mg/kg for the laboratory rat (Rattus norvegicus). Birds and mammals appear equally sensitive to 4AP intoxication, and po LD50 values were generally less than 10 mg/kg.

Chemicals as Bird Repellents: Two Promising Agents

Of 724 chemicals screened as repellents for red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus), only 6 satisfied criteria for high repellency and low toxicity. Of these, meiylthio-3,Sxylyl Nmethylcarbamate (methiocarb) and 2-methyl-a,a-diphenyl-1-pyrrolidinebutyramide (DRC 3324) were consistently effective against house sparrows (Passer domesticus), grackles (Quiscalus quiscula), pheasants ( Phasianus colchiclls), bicolored blackbirds ( Agelvius tricolor), brown-headed cowbirds ( Molothrus ater), and California quail (Lophortyx californicus). BIRD REPELLENTS * Schafer and Brunton 569 250 man-hours of labor at

REPELLING PHEASANTS FROM SPROUTING CORN WITH A CARBAMATE INSECTICIDE

3.00 per hour

Indicator bird species for toxicity determinations: Is the technique usable in test method development?

750 5 pounds of 4-aminopyridine at

The chronic toxicity of 3-chloro-4-methyl benzamine HCl to birds

60.00 per pound 3d) NIethocel and acetone for 16 gallons of spray 15 Sprayer parts plus one-fourth the cost of sprayer 35

Effects of 77 chemicals on reproduction in male and female coturnix quail

The protection of sprouting corn from pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) by treating the seed with a new repellent, DRC-736 (4-(methylthio)-3,5-xylyl N-methylcarbamate), was evaluated in May and June, 1967 on the Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge, South Dakota. The three treatments (0.5 and 3.0 percent DRC-736 and the control) were each evaluated 100 times on 0.016-acre plots in each of four fields. The number of corn seedlings pheasants destroyed in the 400 plots of each treatment was 2,192 for the control but only 99 in the 0.5-percent plots and 59 in the 3.0-percent plots. This effec- tive repellency did not occur until entire fields were treated instead of small plots within fields. The 0.5-percent DRC-736 treatment saved

The chronic toxicity of methiocarb to grackles, doves, and quail and reproductive effects in quail

10 worth of corn for every dollar spent for chemical. Abstract: The protection of sprouting corn from pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) by treating the seed with a new repellent, DRC-736 (4-(methylthio)-3,5-xylyl N-methylcarbamate), was evaluated in May and June, 1967 on the Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge, South Dakota. The three treatments (0.5 and 3.0 percent DRC-736 and the control) were each evaluated 100 times on 0.016-acre plots in each of four fields. The number of corn seedlings pheasants destroyed in the 400 plots of each treatment was 2,192 for the control but only 99 in the 0.5-percent plots and 59 in the 3.0-percent plots. This effec- tive repellency did not occur until entire fields were treated instead of small plots within fields. The 0.5-percent DRC-736 treatment saved

Use of Male Coturnix Quail in the Laboratory Development of Avian Chemosterilants

10 worth of corn for every dollar spent for chemical.

Test Method for Evaluating the Effects of Chemicals on Starling Reproduction

Pesticide, food, drug, and cosmetic industries have used indicator animal species for many years to provide data on the relative hazards of synthetic or natural chemical products to applicators or users. A considerable amount of toxicological information is available on the relative susceptibility of different mammal species to various chemicals. This information has been used to predict hazards to other mammals, including man. Indicator species often are used for evaluating the efficacy of chemicals or their hazards to wild birds. However, the available toxicological information is generally not sufficient to extrapolate valid relationships between the indicator species and the target species. In this paper we have presented the state of the art for the use of indicator bird species and have expressed pur opinion on the use of these data. Because many current uses for bird indicator species are not well supported by available data, we recommend that further test method development with avian indicator species be terminated until additional data can be gathered on the relevancy of the technique.

Hazards to animals feeding on blackbirds killed with 4-aminopyridine baits

Abstract3-Chloro-4-methyl benzamine HCl (DRC-1339), an avian toxicant, was fed to five species of birds for periods up to 120 days. The 30-day LC50 of uniformly treated feed for starlings was 4.7 ppm and the 90-day LC50 was 1.0 ppm. The 28-day LC50 for coturnix was 18 ppm. The 30-day LC50 for pigeons was less than 100 ppm. Pheasants fed diets containing 2% DRC-1339 baits diluted to a rate of 286 ppm of DRC-1339 died within 22 days. Bobwhite quail fed similar diets suffered some mortality at levels as low as 2.9 ppm, but most survived 10 times this dosage level for the 120-day test period. Application of the Kenaga “Index of Chronicity,” resulted in the conclusion that DRC-1339 was cumulatively toxic to birds.Reproduction in coturnix was adversely affected by treatments at 10 ppm of DRC-1339 and above. Reproduction in pigeons was adversely affected by a treatment of 25 ppm. In coturnix, DRC-1339 caused an increased incidence of egg breakage and decreased both egg and live chick production. In pigeons, DRC-1339 caused an increase in the proportion of infertile eggs. Reproductive ability of first generation offspring was not affected when parent coturnix and pigeons were fed DRC-1339.These data emphasize the need for care in the use of DRC-1339. The bait should be used only as registered and care exercised in storage and disposal of unused baits to avoid poisoning of nontarget species.