Imidacloprid Poisoning of Songbirds Following a Drench Application of Trees in a Residential Neighborhood in California, USA. (26th June 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rogers, Krysta H.; McMillin, Stella; Olstad, Katie J.; Poppenga, Robert H.
• Is Part Of: Environmental toxicology and chemistry. Volume 38:Number 8(2019)
• Page Start: 1724
• Page End: 1727
• Publication Date: 2019-06-26
• Subjects: American goldfinch -- Drench application -- Imidacloprid -- Neonicotinoid -- Songbird -- Toxicity; Pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental chemistry -- Periodicals; 615.902
• DOI: 10.1002/etc.4473
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0730-7268

Abstract

Abstract: In March 2017, 26 American goldfinches ( Spinus tristis ) were found dead following a drench application of imidacloprid in California (USA). Identical seed fragments were present in the digestive tracts. Imidacloprid was detected in 4 separate pooled samples from 18 birds, in crop/gizzard contents (4.8 ± 1.3 ppm; range 2.2–8.5 ppm) and liver tissues (3.9 ± 0.6 ppm; range 2.1–4.8 ppm). We suspect that fallen elm ( Ulmus sp.) seeds were contaminated with imidacloprid during the drench application and subsequently ingested, resulting in acute toxicity and death. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:1724–1727. © 2019 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.