West Nile Effort Uncovers Rising Bird Deaths From Toxins

DELMAR, N.Y. (AP) — In the fever to test for the West Nile Virus, post-mortems on up to 250 birds a day have uncovered a surprise: More birds are dying of pesticides, herbicides, and lead.

“There are all kinds of side benefits to the West Nile look,” said state wildlife pathologist Ward Stone. “West Nile isn’t going to be growing in numbers, but these other numbers will continue to grow.”

In the state fiscal year ended March 31, the basement laboratory in the Five Rivers Environmental Center outside Albany identified 1,263 birds carrying West Nile Virus.

During the same time, 1,953 birds were identified as dying of toxins from pesticides like Dursban, a chemical banned by the US Environmental Protection Agency; and Diazinon, which the EPA ordered taken off the market in two years. Lead poisoning is often from the birds eating prey that ingested fishing sinkers or carrion killed by lead shot or pellets.

Stone said some are cases in which chemicals were overused on lawns and in buildings, some are intentional poisonings, but many are the result of birds eating smaller prey with high levels of the material.

“I was rocked,” said Audubon New York’s William Cooke of Stone’s findings. “I had no idea. I don’t think anyone did.”