Exposure of captive feral pigeons to fonofos-treated seed in a semifield experiment

摘要

This study aimed to investigate factors affecting risks to birds from toxic seed treatments under typical field use. Feral pigeons (Columba livia) were exposed for 2 d to fonofos-treated wheat seeds by holding them in pens in plots sown at two depths following standard husbandry in winter sowings in English fenland. In the shallow plots, seeds were readily available to pigeons on the soil surface (8.20 seeds/0.25 m~2) while in the deep plots little seed was left uncovered (0.20 seeds/0.25 m~2). Serum butyrylcholinesterase analysis revealed negligible exposure to fonofos of birds from deep plots but significant exposure of those in shallow plots.