Alex Appleman wrote:
>
> Each year white throated nightjars migrate through Townsville, stopping off
> at suitable habitat such as the Palmetum or Town Common. However last year
> 18 bird
>
> This year 6 white throated nightjars have been seen at the workshops, in very
> poor condition. The cause of their demise is something of a mystery. Are
> they j
>
> One theory is that the workshop itself is the killer being impregnated to
> toxic levels with DDT in the 1950's.
>
> Any suggestions on how the tragedy can be avoided next year?
Alex,
At about this time two years ago many owls (and probably other species) died in
north
Queensland as a result of being poisoned. The culprit was a poison in the form
of a
pellet that was used to control either a rat or a mouse plague in the sugar
cane fields.
Presumably the birds can consumed dead or dying rodents and were consequently
poisoned
themselves.
I cannot remember the precise details of this incident (perhaps somebody else
can?).
There was an official investigation into the incident, and the company which had
imported the pellets from the United States quickly withdrew its sales once the
cause of
death of so many birds was identified. I can probably get better details of this
incident over the next few days if nobody else on Birding-aus can help, if you
think it
is worth the effort.
I?m just wondering if the Nightjars are suffering from the same or similar
method of
poisoning?
Dr Stephen Ambrose
Research and Conservation Manager.
******************************************************
Birds Australia (formerly Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union).
Australian Bird Research Centre,
415 Riversdale Road,
Hawthorn East,
VIC 3123.
Tel: (03) 9882 2622.
Fax: (03) 9882 2677.
Email: S.Ambrose <>
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