Thanks Clifford, I thought that may be the case. But it doesn't explain how
sodium fluoroacetate can be stored in the bones of Bronzewing Pigeons,
unless there is rapid uptake by the bones, i.e. before the compound is
broken down.
I also recall from the time when I was a student at the University of WA
(late 1970s/early 1980s) there was some research that suggested secondary
poisoning from 1080 was responsible partly for the decline in the abundance
of the Little Eagle in South-western Australia. I don't know if that finding
was eventually debunked. If it wasn't, perhaps secondary poisoning occurred
as a result of the consumption of the prey's entrails where the 1080 had not
yet been fully digested/broken down.
Kind regards,
Stephen Ambrose
-----Original Message-----
From:
On Behalf Of Carl Clifford
Sent: Wednesday, 16 May 2012 5:08 PM
To: Stephen Ambrose
Cc: Birding Aus
Subject: Poisonous Aussie birds.
Stephen,
Sodium fluoroacetae, AKA 1080, breaks down very quickly once ingested, and
has an extremely low risk of secondary poisoning. Very hard to detect post
mortem, very bad for rich Grannies and Aunties.
Cheers,
Carl Clifford
Sent from my iPad
On 16/05/2012, at 14:06, "Stephen Ambrose" <> wrote:
> The poison in Gastrolobium is sodium fluoroacetate (also known as 1080).
In
> Australia, natural occurrences of sodium fluoroacetate occurs mostly in
> Gastrolobium species, and nearly all species in this genus are restricted
in
> distribution to South-western Australia. Twigg & King (1991) found that
> Emus also had a high tolerance to the poison when feeding on Gastrolobium
> seeds, but I don't know if it accumulates in the Emu's body, is
metabolised
> or excreted.
>
> Stephen Ambrose
> Ryde, NSW
>
> Reference:
>
> Twigg, L.E. & D.R. King (1991). The impact of fluoroacetate-bearing
> vegetation on native Australian fauna: a review. Oikos 61: 412-430
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:
> On Behalf Of Steve Clark
> Sent: Wednesday, 16 May 2012 9:49 AM
> To: Sonja Ross; Birding Aus;
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Bass Straight migrants and poisonous Aussie
birds
> - birdng myths?
>
> G'day Sonja and Anthea
>
> Thanks for your replies.
>
> I'm aware of the Gastrolobium poison bush in WA. Anthea has turned up
> this reference
>
> http://www.publish.csiro.au/?act=view_file&file_id=MU942057.pdf
>
> which is good evidence that the pigeons accumulate poison from the
> seeds of Gastrolobium bilobum in Western Australia.
>
> Further questions:
>
> Has anyone ever extracted poison from a Bronzewing and analysed it?
> What is the situation in other parts of the Bronzewings' range?
> Why are Pitohuis claimed to be the first known poisonous birds? This
> article mentions others (including Bronzewings):
>
>
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Publications/ZooGoer/2001/2/intoxnewguineabirds.cf
> m
>
> It seems that others were known or suspected earlier but the chemical
> in Pitohui poison was the first to be identified.
>
> There appears to be no conclusive evidence that Flame Robins migrate
> across Bass Strait unless Anthea can track down the unpublished
> research of Balmford and Dennett. I wouldn't be at all suprised if
> they do cross the Strait but it would be nice to have evidence.
>
> Cheers
> Steve
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