birding-aus

Re: breeding Sunbirds, constant failures

To: Kirrama Wildlife Tours <>
Subject: Re: breeding Sunbirds, constant failures
From: stannard <>
Date: Sun, 26 Apr 1998 17:47:02 +0400
Hi Klaus, Re your enquiry "Yellow Bellied Sunbirds"
Are you or were you in the papaya fruit fly zone?
In Julatten and Mossman area we had a very similar problem with adult
birds, reptiles and nestlings dying for no apparent reason. This only
happened after the D.P.I started spraying and putting up Caneite blocks
to eradicate the fruit fly. Quite a large number of people in the
district had personal problems from the sprays and blocks,ie sore eyes,
sore throat and rashes. Our problem stopped after we removed the blocks
from the trees and stopped D.P.I from entering our property, we have had
no problems with mortality since.  From information we have recieved the
caneite blocks are impregnated with Malathian which if left on the trees
changes properties and produces a gas very similar
to that which killed the people in the Japanese subway incident.
Our sunbirds that nested down at the creek produced very healthy young!
Regards
Ron Stannard
Kingfisher Park Birdwatchers Lodge.
Julatten

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