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Seasonal, Habitat And Sex-Specific Patterns Of Food Utilization By Red-Winged Blackbirds (Agelaius Phoeniceous) In Eastern Ontario And Their Economic Importance, Donald K. Mcnichol, Raleigh J. Robertson, Patrick J. Weatherhead

Bird Control Seminars Proceedings

Crop depredation by red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) causes serious economic losses to agricultural crops each year in both Canada and the United States. The concentration of vulnerable, monocultural crops, particularly corn, during periods when large flocks of blackbirds congregate in roosting areas prior to migration has invariably led to heavy feeding pressure (Stone et al., 1972; Wiens and Dyer, 1975; Tyler et al., 1978). Efforts to reduce damage levels by mechanical and chemical dispersal agents have been largely unsuccessful, at least in terms of a long-term solution to the problem. Recently, the lethal control of blackbird populations using surfactants has …

List Of Participants: Eighth Bird Control Seminar 1979

Bird Control Seminars Proceedings

Participants and attendees of the Eighth Bird Control Seminar, October 30--November 1, 1979

Pigeon Associated People Diseases, Walter Weber

Bird Control Seminars Proceedings

Feral pigeons (Columbia livia) are not harmless birds. Many potential infections of humans silently exist in pigeons which are not apparent. They have the potential for transmission of over 30 diseases to humans plus another ten to domestic animals. Environmental pollution from pigeon droppings is quite evident. Air pollution involves more than noxious gases from automobile exhausts and belching smokestacks. One serious air pollutant is air-borne fungi, which are agents for infectious diseases. There is much information written about the problem, but it remains primarily in the professional journals and technical references, neatly stacked away on library shelves. …

New Developments In Bird Resistant Sorghums, Roger W. Bullard

Bird Control Seminars Proceedings

In recent years there has been a major shift of emphasis from lethal to nonlethal methods of controlling bird damage to agricultural crops. In addition to being unpopular, killing large number of birds has generally been ineffective because of rapid recovery of populations. Consequently, most of the methods that are now being investigated emphasize crop protection. Since sorghums are especially vulnerable to bird damage, considerable effort has been expended in the past 20 years to develop varieties that have morphological or chemical characteristics which are resistant to bird damage (Harris, 1969; Tipton et al., 1970; McMillian et al., 1972). Some …

Review Of Avian Mortality Due To Collisions With Manmade Structures, Michael L. Avery

Bird Control Seminars Proceedings

Birds have undoubtedly been colliding with manmade structures ever since humans started building things skyward. The earliest documented instances of collision mortali- ty in this country are from the late 1800's (Coues 1876, Merriam 1885) and the problems continue unabated today. The total avian mortality due to collisions with manmade obstacles is probably greater every year as buildings, towers, chimneys, overhead power lines, and other structures are erected in ever-increasing numbers. Weir (1976) provides an excellent review of bird migration, weather, and collision mortality associated with various types of structures.
The biological significance of collision mortality to any species is …

Developmental Status Of N-(3-Chloro-4-Methylphenyl) Acetamide As A Candidate Blackbird/Starling Roost Toxicant, Paul W. Lefebvre, Nicholas R. Holler, Raymond E. Matteson, Edward W. Schafer Jr., Donald J. Cunningham

Bird Control Seminars Proceedings

Large winter roosts of blackbirds (Icteridae) and starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) often cause conflicts, both real and imagined, between the birds and local human popula- tions. These conflicts may range from objections to the noise and odor engendered by thousands or millions of birds, to fear of epidemic human and livestock diseases, and the possibility of economic losses from crop depredations. Many people believe the most direct way to combat these conflicts is to reduce local roosting populations by kill- ing the birds. In response to this perceived need for a roost toxicant, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) developed …

Behavioural And Physiological Problems Associated With The Development Of Curb, Rufus J. Stone

Bird Control Seminars Proceedings

CURB is a harmless chemical repellent formulated and prepared to control avian and mammalian behavior which may result in losses of cultivated crops at all stages of growth, of food in storage, and also in behavior which may endanger health (e.g. dogs fouling) or life (e.g. birds on runways at airports). It is a fine powder, which may be wet- table for spraying when mixed with water; or it may be prepared for dry application. It is synergised aluminum ammonium sulfate. Its LD50 is greater than 5 gr/kg; it has passed the U.S.A. and French skin and eye mucosa tests …

Behavioral Control Of Seagulls At Langley Air Force Base, John F. Stout, Ernest R. Schwab

Bird Control Seminars Proceedings

Sea gulls (Laridae) of various species are more frequently reported in bird-aircraft collisions than any other group of birds. Various sources (Thorpe, 1976; Salter, 1976; Blokpoel, 1976) report that gulls were involved in 40 to 60% of all bird strikes for both civilian and military aircraft. A majority of these incidents occurred during landing or takeoff in the immediate vicinity of the airport. Thus, reducing the number of gulls in operationally critical areas of the airport is an important goal for flight safety manage- ment. Sea gulls at Langley Air Force Base (Harrison and Godsey, 1976) and other airports (Blokpoel, …

Cardiac And Operant Behavior Response Of Starlings (Sturnus Vulgaris) To Distress And Alarm Sounds, R. Daniel Thompson, Brad E. Johns, C. Val Grant

Bird Control Seminars Proceedings

A variety of auditory stimuli have been used for many years as a means of repelling nuisance birds from problem areas (Boudreau, 1968; Bremond et al., 1968; Frings and Jumber, 1954; Langowski et al., 1969; Nelson and Seubert 1966; Pearson and Corner, 1967; Thompson et al., 1966, 1968a, b). This approach to alleviating bird problems is ap- pealing because wild birds are considered very sensitive to sound stimuli of biological origin, and such stimuli are harmless to both target and nontarget species. The harmless aspect is an important advantage in dealing with wildlife related problems because of the increased public …

Food Preferences And Damage Levels Of Some Avian Rice Field Pests In Malaysia, Michael L. Avery

Bird Control Seminars Proceedings

As in many other countries throughout the world, rice is a staple food item in Malaysia. Through the development of improved varieties, irrigation systems, and agronomic practices, rice production there has increased substantially in recent years and the country is now 80-85% self-sufficient in rice. The main limitation to obtaining full self-sufficiency is the lack of additional land area suitable for raising two rice crops annually (Samy 1977). Another factor limiting production is rice crop pests, particularly rats and insects. Birds also are generally acknowledged as pests in rice fieids of this region (FAO 1973, De Grazio 1978), but in …

A New “Parotrap” Adapted From The Mac Trap For Capturing Live Parakeets In The Field, Elsadig Awad Bashir

Bird Control Seminars Proceedings

The Rose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri [Scopdi]) has been reported (Roberts, 1974; Bashir, 1978; Beg, 1978; and DeGrazio, 1978) as a serious bird pest of maize, sunflower, rape seeds, and fruit crops, particularly citrus, mangoes, and guavas, in Pakistan. Estimated annual losses to maize grown for seed alone amount to about 97,000 tons, worth about Pak. Rs. 150 million or US $15 million (Roberts, 1978). Paradoxically, this handsome bright green parakeet is highly esteemed in the pet trade; and limited numbers are also marketed locally and sometimes exported to neighboring countries, particularly the Arab Gulf Emirates, as caged pets. Traditional control …

Diets Of The Red-Billed Quelea (Quelea Quelea) In The Awash River Basin Of Ethiopia, W. A. Erickson

Bird Control Seminars Proceedings

An understanding of the feeding ecology of the red-billed quelea (Quelea quelea) is necessary for a comprehensive assessment of the potential impact of this species on cereals development. Queleas are reported to subsist primarily on wild Gramineae (Ward 1965a; Gaston 1976), but their mobility and tendency to feed in large aggregations readily adapts them to becoming a major cereal crop pest (Dyer & Ward 1977). Currently, conflicting evidence exists as to the factors involved in attacks on cereals and the relationship of depredation to the availability of wild foods. In Nigeria, Ward’s (1965a) findings indicated queleas prefer small wild grass …

Effects Of The Roost Site On The Energetics Of Blackbirds And Starlings, Sheldon Lustick, Michael Kelty

Bird Control Seminars Proceedings

To augment their physiological and physical thermoregulatory capacity, many birds display long-term behavioral adjustments; the significance of this has been considered, yet detailed information is lacking (Dawson and Hudson 1970; Calder and King 1974). One such behavioral adjustment appears to be communal roosting in sheltered areas during winter nights. This behavior has been demonstrated in nuthatches (Sitta spp.) (Knorr 1957), finches (Leucosticte spp.) (French 1959; King and Wales 1964), eastern bluebirds (Siala sialis) (Frazier and Nolan 1959), red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoniceus), brown headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater), bronzed grackles (Quiscalus quiscula) (Francis 1976), and starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) (Francis 1976; Yom-Tov et …

Significance Of Hemolytic Activity Of Some Radiation- Resistant Micrococci In Food, Ardyce Welch, R. Burt Maxcy

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Micrococci resistant to 1 Mrad ofgamma radiation were isolated from irradiated chicken. Three isolates were hemolytic on blood agar plates and were selected for further study.Two other radiation-resistant micrococci, Micrococcus radiodurans and Micrococcus radiophilus, were included in the study because there is only a very limited amount of information regarding hemolytic activity of these organisms and their potential role of public health importance. Tests to determine hemolytic patterns, hemolytic activity of extracellular substances, leukocytic activity, presence of enzymes commonly associated with pathogenicity (coagulase, deoxyribonuclease, phosphatase), and pathogenicity for laboratory animals all suggested that the organisms would not be of …

The Probe, Issue 2 - October 1979

The Probe: Newsletter of the National Animal Damage Control Association

Contents:

WHEN IS A PELT NOT WORTH TAKING?
NEWS FROM DISNEY WORLD, D.C.
NADCA TAKES A STAND AT "SCOPE" HEARINGS
THERE'S A NEW KOOK ON THE BLOCK
ADC LOSES ANOTHER SHELL GAME
NADCA MEMBERSHIP IS A PRIZE
TRAP TIPS
Vice-President Homer S. Ford
Region I Director - Willard E. Nelson
Region II Director - Clyde R Madsen
Region III Director - Wesley R. Jones
Region IV Director - John C. Jones
Region V Director - Howard A. Merrill
Bird related topics

Contributors, Fall 1979

POD Quarterly: The Journal of the Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Calendar, Fall 1979

POD Quarterly: The Journal of the Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education

Items in this section are events taking place during a six-month period, no sooner than a month after the appearance of the journal. Information on events to be listed in the calendar should be sent to the current editor. A brief statement as to why a POD member would be interested in the event would be helpful.

Farm, Ranch And Home Quarterly Institute Of Agriculture And Natural Resources, University Of Nebraska- Lincoln

Farm, Ranch and Home Quarterly

In this issue:

IANR Informs Nebraska .................................... 2

Electromagnetic Energy- Study Aims At Pest Control ............................... 3

IAN R Staff Reaches Out With' Partners' Exchange....................... 6

Weather or Not ... Climatology Center Prepares For the Future ................. 9

Compost: A Solution For Feedlot Wastes ...................... 13

Electron Microscope- An 'Eye' on Cattle Digestion .............................. 16

ALYSSA: Fascinating, Frustrating, Exhausting and Unsinkable ......................... 19

Research Digest .......................................... 21

The Hamburger Story- Beef Shortages Exceed Demands .......................... 22

Dixon County 4-Hers Adopt Grandparents ................... 24

Hybrid or Crossbred?- Genetic Study Shows the Basic Difference .................. 26

Inflorescence Architecture And Flower Sex Ratios In Sagittaria Brevirostra (Alismataceae), Robert B. Kaul

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Two populations of Sagittaria brevirostra from the same lake were sampled 10 years apart and yielded similar data on inflorescence structure and on numbers and ratios of male and female flowers. Larger inflorescences have relatively more male than female flowers than do smaller inflorescences. Pollination success is unrelated to inflorescence size or sex ratio within an inflorescence.

A New And Unusual Eimerian (Protozoa: Eimeriidae) From The Liver Of The Gulf Killifish, Fundulus Grandis, Donald W. Duszynski, Mobashir A. Solangi, Robin M. Overstreet

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Oocysts and sporocysts of Eimeria funduli sp. n. are described from the Gulf killifish, Fundulus grandis, on the basis of light microscopy, transmission and scanning electron microscopy, and location in the liver of infected hosts. The spherical sporulated oocysts of E. funduli isolated from liver tissue measure 20-31(25) μm across with ovoid sporocysts 9-11 × 5-7 (10 × 6) μm. A micropyle, polar granule, and oocyst residuum are absent, but sporocysts have Stieda and substieda bodies, a few residual granules, and 10-25 (15) unique projecting structures with expanded distal portions that we term “sporopodia.” Sporopodia 1-3 (2) μm high …

Records Of Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) From Suriname, Hugh H. Genoways, Stephen L. Williams

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Ten species are added to the 60 species of bats already known to occur in Suriname. The species added include Micronycteris minuta, M. nicefori, Phylloderma stenops, Tonatia bidens, T. brasiliense, Carollia brevicauda, Chiroderma trinitatum, Vampyressa bidens, Promops centralis, and P. nasutus. Additional information is presented on five species previously recorded from Suriname, including Pteronotus parnellii, Mimon crenulatum, Artibeus concolor, Chiroderma villosum, and Sturnira tildae.

A Pressure Injection Device For Inoculation Of Maize With Bacterial Phytopathogens, Randall R. Carlson, A. K. Vidaver, David S. Wysong, J. H. Riesselman

Biological Process Development Facility: Staff Publications

A pressure injection device (PID) was used to inoculate maize (Zea mays) with bacterial phytopathogens. The PID was evaluated for its speed, effectiveness, and precision relative to the needle-eye method of inoculation. Corynebacterium nebraskense, Erwinia stewartii, and Pseudomonas andropogonis were each used successfully as inocula to infect maize and produce symptoms typical of Goss's wilt, Stewart's wilt and bacterial stripe, respectively. Quantitative inoculation with the PID was faster and as statistically precise as using a calibrated needle-eye.

Agricultural Experiment Station News September 1979

Agricultural Research Division: News and Annual Reports

CONTENTS:
FROM THE DIRECTOR'S DESK
PERSONNEL ACTIONS
GRANTS AND CONTRACTS
GENERAL NOTES
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION PUBLICATIONS – August 1979

Water Current, Volume 11, No. 5, September/October 1979

Water Current Newsletter

Conservation and the Nation's Water Policy
Search Committee for NWRC Director
NWRC Research Program
Proposal Deadlines
Dee Creek Continuation Approved
News Clipping Service
Research Assistantships Available
Water Resources in Nebraska
President Issues 2nd Environmental Message
Guy Martin Addresses UCOWR Meeting
Research Review: Mechanics and Potentials of Artificial Groundwater Recharge

Morphology And Distribution Of Petiolar Nectaries In Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae), Kathleen H. Keeler, Robert B. Kaul

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

The distribution of petiolar nectaries in 24 species of Ipomoea was investigated. Petiolar nectaries were found on 12 species (8 new reports, 4 confirmations of previous reports) and quoted from the literature as being found on 3 other species; they were absent from 9 species investigated. The structure of petiolar nectaries in the genus ranges from simple beds of superficial nectar-secreting trichomes (1 species), to slightly recessed "basin nectaries" (8 species), to "crypt nectaries," which are structurally the most complex extrafloral nectaries known (3 species). (Structures were not determined for 3 species.) Petiolar nectaries are present in all subgenera, but …

Distribution And Natural History Of Amphibians And Reptiles In Western Nebraska With Ecological Notes On The Herpetiles Of Arapaho Prairie, Royce E. Ballinger, John D. Lynch, Patrick H. Cole

Papers in Herpetology

Introduction: The distribution and natural history of amphibians and reptiles have been little studied in the northern states of the great plains. Relative to other vertebrate groups, the herpetofauna of grasslands is depauperate particularly at higher latitudes where temperature becomes a limiting factor to poikilotherms. Nevertheless, certain species of amphibians and reptiles are common in specific habitats and thus form a conspicuous component of the prairie fauna. The purposes of the present study were to document the distributions of herpetiles in a specified region of western Nebraska and to describe general aspects of their natural history. We hope such information …

Isolation Of Radiation-Resistant Bacteria Without Exposure To Irradiation, Scott Sanders, R. Burt Maxcy

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Resistance to desiccation was utilized in the selection of highly radiation-resistant asporogenous bacteria from non-irradiated sources. A bacterial suspension in phosphate buffer was dried in a thin film at 25°C and 33% relative humidity. Storage under these conditions for 15 days or more reduced the number of radiation-sensitive bacteria. Further selection for radiation-resistant bacteria was obtained by irradiation of bacteria on velveteen in the replication process, thereby avoiding the toxic effect of irradiated media. The similarity of radiation resistance and identifying characteristics in irradiated and non-irradiated isolates should allay some concerns that highly radiation-resistant bacteria have been permanently altered by …

The Prairie Naturalist Volume 11, Number 3. September 1979

The Prairie Naturalist

DISTRIBUTION AND NATURAL HISTORY OF AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES IN WESTERN NEBRASKA WITH ECOLOGICAL NOTES ON THE HERPETILES OF ARAPAHO PRAIRIE ▪ R. E. Ballinger, J. D. Lynch and P. H. Cole

AVIAN MORTALITY FROM A SEVERE HAIL STORM ▪ J. L. Piehl

EFFECTS OF A SUMMER STORM ON BIRD POPULATIONS ▪ D. H. Johnson

SEXING AND AGING CRITERIA FOR THE WHITE PELICAN ▪ G. R. Lingle and N. F. Sloan

CANVASBACK DUCK RECOVERS FROM COMPOUND LUXATION TO WING ▪ H. A. Doty

SECOND NORTH DAKOTA RECORD OF LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH ▪ C. A. Faanes

FIRST NESTING RECORD OF A LOUISIANA HERON …

Specialized Insectivory: Beetle-Eatinga Nd Moth-Eating Molossid Bats, Patricia W. Freeman

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

The structure and mechanics of insectivores have been little studied. An effort is made here to compare and contrast jaw characteristics of insectivorous bats with those of herbivores and carnivores. Further, in one particular family of bats (Molossidae) jaw modifications are such that animals that take hard-shelled insect prey can be distinguished from those that take soft-shelled insect prey. Beetle-eaters generally have thick jaws, well-developed cranial crests, and fewer but bigger teeth, whereas moth-eaters have thin jaws, little crest build-up, and more but smaller teeth.

Agricultural Experiment Station News August 1979

Agricultural Research Division: News and Annual Reports

CONTENTS:
FROM THE ACTING DIRECTOR'S DESK
PERSONNEL ACTIONS
GRANTS AND CONTRACTS
GENERAL NOTES
NEBRASKA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION PUBLICATIONS - July 1979
BULLETINS PRINTED