THE COVEY CALL E-NEWSLETTER - SEPTEMBER 2015

METRO & SE QF Chapters

Helping To Bring Back The Bobwhite Quail

Are Chemicals Harmful to Wildlife?

This article is one of a two part series on chemicals. Part two is a PDF file with pictures and more
detailed information.
At our annual Minnesota Quail Field Day in August one of our speakers was Dr. Nicole Davors. Nicole gave an
informative talk on chemicals that are being applied on crop lands. After the Field Day I emailed Nicole a
question that she touched on during her talk.
Here is the question and the information she sent back to me, which is good knowledge for all people who are
interested in the plight of wildlife.
Hi Nicole, again thanks for coming to our Quail Field Day and giving your talk. In your talk you mention that
there is chemical that is harder on some birds than other birds. Could you let me know what chemical that is,
and could you list the birds that could tolerate that chemical, and the birds that had difficulty with that
chemical? And also, what is the name of the chemical that is used to kill aphids in soybean fields? I have
heard that this insecticide kills all insects it comes in contact with.
It is my understanding that there are two main chemicals used to treat soybean aphids in Minnesota:
chlorpyrifos and lambda-cyhalothrin. However, I learned about another chemical being used this summer
(chemical name: bifenthrin; tradename Tundra EC; its a type of pyrethroid) so Im sure that there are several
other chemical options out there for controlling aphids. Ive heard that chemicals are sometimes mixed and used
at the same time. Exactly which chemicals are mixed, Im not sure. As pesticide resistance evolves, these new
chemical cocktails come about and its hard to keep up with them.

Chlorpyrifos is the chemical to be more concerned about from what Ive learned. It is a broad-spectrum
organophosphate that disrupts the nervous systems of target and non-target organisms through several potential
routes (direct contact, ingestion, and inhalation). Common trade names include Dursban, Govern, Lorsban,
Pilot, Warhawk, and Yuma. It was first registered for us in the US in 1965 but has been banned for residential,
pet, & indoor insecticide use in 1997 due to health concerns. It is moderately toxic to humans and exposure to
this chemical has been linked to neurological effects, chronic developmental disorders, and autoimmune
disorders. Exposure to it during pregnancy is bad news for a fetus - Wikipedia does a nice job of summarizing
some of the human health concerns: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorpyrifos. Other groups of mammals (e.g.,
rats, rabbits) do not seem to be as susceptible as humans. It is highly toxic to aquatic life, some beneficial
insects (especially bees), and some birds.
Some of the bird groups that have shown the most susceptibility to chlorpyrifos include blackbirds (especially
common grackles & red-winged blackbirds), pheasants, quail, domesticated chickens, common pigeons
(formerly known as rock doves), house sparrows, mallards, and American robins. There may be additional
species that are susceptible to it but that havent been studied closely yet, so Im providing you with a list of
birds that have been shown to be susceptible to the chemical rather than a list of birds that can tolerate it.
Ive also attached a PDF of the powerpoint that I printed out and brought with me to the field day in case its
helpful. I hope Ive answered your questions.
Nicole Davros, Ph.D., Upland Game Project Leader
Farmland Wildlife Populations & Research Group
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
35365 800th Avenue, Madelia, MN 56062
507-642-8478 x 225

Nicole.Davros@state.mn.us

We would like to thank Dr. Davros for her information regarding chemicals and wildlife.
The PDF powerpoint is the 2nd attachment to our email.
As been stated before, habitat loss is a problem for many forms of wildlife, but when it comes to
chemicals we seem to look the other way, this information necessitates that we rethink our position when
it comes to chemicals on crop fields.

Visit our Website for our two QF Chapters in Minnesota: http://www.mnquailforever.org/

Visit our Facebook Weekly for Information on Quail and Other Birds: Quail Forever Minnesota

Willing to help us in our efforts to help Bring Back the Bobwhite?

Contact our Coordinator, Thurman Tucker wtcn.nature@gmail.com or call 612.588.2007
We are always looking for volunteers to help us:
With working with youth
Building wildlife habitat or supplying materials
Working with us on banquet planning Metro or SE
Getting donations from various locations in your area for Metro or SE Chapters
Grant Writing or other articles about our efforts
Thurman Tucker, Metro & SE QF Chapters Coordinator