POISONING SMALL BIRDS

Otago Witness, Issue 2997, 23 August 1911, Page 14

POISONING SMALL BIRDS

The warm springlike weather we have had during the last 'week indicates that the season is changing rapidly. There is always an uncertainty when spring begins and when it ends; and although there is still a sharp snap of frost at night, the bitterly cold spells of winter are a thing of the past for the year. At such tinier small birds cannot get food, and are glad to pick up anything and everything they can get. and .are eaeily

poisoned, and also in some localities it has been, decided not to poison email birds this year on account of the number of grates grubs they destroy, and in other localities much lea is being taken up which has been practically ruined by grubs, it must be conceded that small birds do more harm than good, and that such daylight robbers should be sup-. pressed. The time is rapidly approaching when it will be too late this season to deal with them, and they levy such tribute from the farmer that joint action is absolutely necessary to cope with them. The sparrow, in particular, leaves very little of any patch of crop which happens .to be the earliest of the district. Numerous experiments have been instituted at various timies to determine the best means of poisoning them, and the superiority of strychnine over areenic has been well established. Grain poisoned in the ordinary way by steeping in an aqueous solution of arsenic often fails because the poison does not penetrate through the outer husk, and the birds shell this off and eat the kernel without deleterious effect, and although some mixtures of whole grain poisoned in that way are effective, as a rule the appear-, ance and taste of the grain is not normal, and the suspicions of the birds are aroused, and unless the whole pile of grain is swallow©.l they may escape. The department's chemist recommends the use of whole grain in its natural state moistened with sweet milk aaid sprinkled over with strychnine which has not been powdered too finely. A vigorous stirring is all that is necessary to make the grain ready for immediate use. The roosting and feeding places of the birds are noted and a small quantity of treated wheat is scattered under the nearest tree fcar a morning or two before sowing the poisoned grain. Strychnine is usually bought in loz bottles, and this is sufficient to poison effectually 121 b of wheat which should be used immediately after mixing. The deadly poisonous nature of strychnine requires the manipulation of an expert, and any farmer unaccustomed to handle poison might take his wheat to a local chemist and avoid the risk of poisoning either himself or his family. Every vessel used with strychnine has to b 3 either chemically cleaned or destroyed. The grain must not be spread too thickly. The advantage claimed for this method is that. there is no alteration ma.de in the appearance of the grain, and when the bitter taste is noticed it is too late, and birds take it readily. In view of the statement recently made that we owe our immunity from grubs and caterpillars to the number and activity of small birds, it is interesting to note that the investigation of the United States Department of Agriculture condemned the English sparrow entirely, and there- will no doubt be plenty of then* left after all the poisoning is finished. Individual effort is very little use in any particular district, and the local farmers' clubs should take up this matter and appoint a day in which to call upon all the settlers to poison in their neighbourhood. «