Life Sciences Commons^™

Potential Use Of Perennial Sunflower To Reduce Blackbird Damage To Sunflower, George M. Linz, Brent Hulke, Michael Kantar, Jeffrey Homan, Robert Stupar, Donald Wyse

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wildlife Conservation Sunflower Plots (WCSP) have shown potential to reduce blackbird (Icteridae) damage in commercial sunflower. Also known as lure, decoy, or trap crops, WCSP are strategically placed food plots that provide an easily available and proximate food source that entices blackbirds away from valuable commercial crops. By providing an alternative food source, WCSP reduce direct damage to commercial fields, while also lowering indirect costs that producers incur attempting to prevent blackbird damage. However, cost inefficiencies have deterred widespread use of WCSP. Cost-benefit ratios of using WCSP would be greatly improved if a perennial sunflower were used instead of the …

Effectiveness Of Foliar Applications Of 9,10-Anthraquinone For Reducing Blackbird Damage To Sunflower, George M. Linz, Scott J. Werner, Megan Niner, Jeffrey Homan

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Anthraquinone is an effective chemical seed repellent that protects newly planted crops from depredation by granivorous birds. We are experimenting with foliar applications of 9,10-anthraquinone (AQ) to reduce blackbird (Icteridae) damage to ripening sunflower. Sunflower heads generally turn downward as the achenes mature. With the methods currently available for spraying crops, application of AQ directly onto sunflower achenes is nearly impossible. Blackbirds sometimes remove sunflower bracts prior to eating achenes. Thus, getting AQ droplets directly on the achenes may not be necessary, and spraying the heads should expose blackbirds to AQ as they remove bracts. Studies using caged red-winged blackbirds …

A Recent Epizootic Of Skunk Rabies And Associated Spillover In Northern Colorado, Usa, Amy Gilbert, Dennis Kohler, Tara Rigg, Justin W. Fischer, Terry Spraker, Karen Fox, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Rabies is a fatal viral zoonosis that is transmitted by bite contact with saliva of an infected animal. In the U.S., human deaths are rare, but each year over 5,000 rabid animals are reported and over 90% of cases are from wildlife. Multiple species of carnivores and bats are the primary sylvatic reservoirs in the U.S., and several variants circulate independently among these two taxonomic orders. Rabies prevention efforts led by USDA APHIS Wildlife Services using live recombinant vaccine baiting began in 1995 and currently target raccoons and canids, but the territory of the south-central skunk rabies virus variant has …

Effects Of Vaccination Against Gdf9 And Bmp15 On Fertility And Ovarian Function In The White-Tailed Deer, Douglas C. Eckery, Lowell A. Miller, Gary J. Killian, Anthony J. Denicola

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The physiological mechanisms controlling ovarian follicular growth and ovulation involve a complex exchange of systemic signals and a localized exchange of molecules between the oocyte and surrounding somatic cells. It has been demonstrated that the oocyte itself plays an essential role in regulating these processes by secreting two key regulatory proteins: bone morphogenetic protein-15 (BMP15) and growth and differentiation factor-9 (GDF9). Natural mutations in their expression and vaccination against these growth factors have been shown to cause sterility in sheep. The aim of this 3-year study was to determine the effect of vaccination against GDF9 and BMP15 on fertility in …

Economic Analysis Of Indemnity Payments For Wolf Depredation On Cattle In A Wolf Reintroduction Area, Aaron M. Anderson, Karen Gebhardt, Katy N. Kirkpatrick, David L. Bergman, Stephanie A. Shwiff

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Mexican gray wolves were reintroduced into New Mexico and Arizona in 1998. When wolves kill a producing cow, ranchers in the region are eligible to receive an indemnity payment equal to the market value of the lost animal. We developed a model that allows estimation of the present value of the revenue stream that a cow or herd provides and find that if a producing cow is killed, the decrease in the present value of the rancher’s revenue stream is about $1,230. Mean indemnity payments are currently $1,000, implying ranchers are not being sufficiently compensated.

Fitting Outbreak Models To Data From Many Small Norovirus Outbreaks, Eamon B. O'Dea, Kim M. Pepin, Ben A. Lopman, Claus O. Wilke

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Infectious disease often occurs in small, independent outbreaks in populations with varying characteristics. Each outbreak by itself may provide too little information for accurate estimation of epidemic model parameters. Here we show that using standard stochastic epidemic models for each outbreak and allowing parameters to vary between outbreaks according to a linear predictor leads to a generalized linear model that accurately estimates parameters from many small and diverse outbreaks. By estimating initial growth rates in addition to transmission rates, we are able to characterize variation in numbers of initially susceptible individuals or contact patterns between outbreaks. With simulation, we find …

Invasive Black Spiny-Tailed Iguanas (Ctenosaura Similis) On Gasparilla Island, Florida, Usa, Michael L. Avery, Eric A. Tillman, Conny Spurfeld, Richard M. Engeman, Kelin P. Maciejewski, Jessica D. Brown, Emily A. Fetzer

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The native range of Ctenosaura similis extends from southern Mexico through Panama. From an initial introduction of 3 animals in 1979, the species now numbers in the thousands on Gasparilla Island in southwest Florida. In response to complaints of property damage from residents and threats to native species, local officials and the US Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services began a removal program in 2008. Through 2011, trappers removed 9467 ctenosaurs. The number removed declined from 32 iguanas/day in 2008 to 1.9 iguanas/day in 2011 despite no easing of the control effort. We necropsied 2757 ctenosaurs to document aspects of their …

Incorporating Cold-Air Pooling Into Downscaled Climate Models Increases Potential Refugia For Snow-Dependent Species Within The Sierra Nevada Ecoregion, Ca, Jennifer A. Curtis, Lorraine E. Flint, Alan L. Flint, Jessica D. Lundquist, Brian Hudgens, Erin E. Boydston, Julie K. Young

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We present a unique water-balance approach for modeling snowpack under historic, current and future climates throughout the Sierra Nevada Ecoregion. Our methodology uses a finer scale (270 m) than previous regional studies and incorporates cold-air pooling, an atmospheric process that sustains cooler temperatures in topographic depressions thereby mitigating snowmelt. Our results are intended to support management and conservation of snow-dependent species, which requires characterization of suitable habitat under current and future climates. We use the wolverine (Gulo gulo) as an example species and investigate potential habitat based on the depth and extent of spring snowpack within four National …

Calving Location Selection Patterns Of Saiga Antelope In Mongolia, B. Buuveibaatar, T. K. Fuller, J. K. Young, J. Berger

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Habitat selection for calving by ungulates is an important behavioral trait because it affects neonate survival. Generally, ungulate calving site selection varies by vulnerability to predators, local topography, habitat quality and level of human disturbance. The Mongolian saiga (Saiga tatarica mongolica) is endemic to Mongolia where a threatened population of ∼7000 exists in the northern Gobi Desert. We analyzed factors that could affect selection of saiga calving locations in the Sharga Nature Reserve, western Mongolia, using data obtained from ground surveys over 4 years between 2008 and 2012. Multiple factors explain calving location selection by saiga antelopes, based …

Determination Of Residue Levels Of Alphachloralose In Duck Tissues, David A. Goldade, Randal S. Stahl, John J. Johnston

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Alpha-chloralose (AC) is used to capture nuisance waterfowl so that they can be relocated. Concerns for food safety limit its use prior to or during the waterfowl hunting season. To determine its half-life in tissue, we administered AC to adult male (n = 7) and female (n = 5) mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) via oral gavage. A gel capsule containing 100 μCi of radioactive AC (¹⁴C-AC) and sufficient nonlabeled AC to produce a dose of approximately 30 mg/kg was given to each duck.The ducks were euthanized at 2, 6, 10, and 18 hours postdosing (n = …

Anthropogenic Conditioning Of Gray Jays To A Nutritious, Seasonal Aquatic Food Source, R. M. Engeman, C. J. Wiloth

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Gray Jays (Perisoreus canadensis) read ily learn that humans can be excellent sources of food (e.g. Rutter 1969) and therefore are common in many picnic areas, campgrounds and other areas frequented by humans in the Rocky Mountains. Bes ides rapid recognition of humans as sou rces of food, Gray Jays also do not appear to readily forget a discovered food source (e.g. Rutter 1969). Gray Jays also optimize food selection on the bas is of caloric intake and the effort required to identify and handle the food items (Maccarone and Montevecchi 1986) aga in, making places such as …

Weighing Empirical And Hypothetical Evidence For Assessing Potential Invasive Species Range Limits: A Review Of The Case Of Burmese Pythons In The Usa, Richard M. Engeman, Michael L. Avery, Elliot Jacobson

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Range expansion potential is an important consideration for prioritizing management actions against an invasive species. Understanding the potential for range expansion by invasive reptiles such as the Burmese python can be challenging, because the lack of knowledge on fundamental physiological and behavioral constraints initially forces reliance on modeling to predict hypothetical invasive range potential. Hypothetical predictions for Burmese python range limits in the USA have been highly divergent, from only extreme South Florida and the extreme southern Gulf edge of Texas to a broad swath over the southern third of the continental USA. Empirical observations on python thermal tolerances and …

Russian Olive (Elaeagnus Angustifolia) Dispersal By European Starlings (Sturnus Vulgaris), Ryan J. Edwards, Larry C. Clark, K. George Beck

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Studies were conducted to document that European starlings consume Russian olive fruits and determine subsequent effects on seed germination. In the first study, avian feeding patterns at Russian olive trees were monitored over a 1-yr period using motion activated digital photography. Starlings fed on Russian olive fruits with highest activity occurring in November and December. In a second study, 20 captive European starlings were fed Russian olive fruits and seed germination rates were determined for three categories: consumed by starlings, hulled fruits (pericarp removed), and whole fruits. Starlings readily consumed Russian olive fruits and most seeds were regurgitated 30 min …

Geographic Segregation And Evidence Of Density-Dependent Changes In Sex Ratios In An Abundant Colonial Waterbird, Brian S. Dorr, Katie C. Hanson-Dorr, Travis L. Devault, Alban Guillaumet, Scott C. Barras

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Demographic information, such as geographic segregation of sexes and sex ratio data, is needed to develop, model and evaluate conservation and management strategies for wildlife. A variety of physiological, behavioral and environmental factors can influence segregation of sexes and sex ratios, many of which originate with density- dependent processes. Departure from 50:50 sex ratios of double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) collected during control efforts in breeding and wintering areas across their eastern range of the USA were evaluated using using a Z-test as well as Stouffer’s weighted Z-tests. In addition, a specifically-designed randomization test was used to evaluate density-dependent …

Evaluation Of Techniques To Reduce Deer And Elk Damage To Agricultural Crops, Heather E. Johnson, Justin W. Fischer, Matthew Hammond, Patricia D. Dorsey, W. David Walter, Charles Anderson, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) provide important recreational, ecological, and economic benefits, but can also cause substantial damage to agricultural crops. Cervid damage to agriculture creates challenges for wildlife agencies responsible for minimizing crop depredation while maintaining healthy deer and elk populations. Sunflower producers in southwestern Colorado, USA, have experienced high deer and elk damage and were interested in temporary methods to reduce damage that were cost-effective for rotational crops. To address this challenge, we investigated 3 temporary, non-lethal exclusion and repellent techniques for reducing deer and elk damage to …

Improved Satellite Transmitter Harness Attachment Technique, John S. Humphrey, Michael L. Avery

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Kenward et al. (2001) observed: ‘‘Techniques for studying animals should not prejudice either the welfare of the individuals or the scientific quality of the results. This is especially important when advances in technology create new opportunities, as well as new risks.’’ Satellite telemetry technology has revolutionized the ability of scientists to conduct long-term studies of avian movements and behavior (e.g., Prince et al. 1992, Cappelle et al. 2011, Chevallier et al. 2011). Effective application of this technology depends on many factors, including the proper attachment of the transmitter to the bird. For large birds, transmitters are attached using a backpack-style …

Environmental Contaminant Concentrations In Canada Goose (Branta Canadensis) Muscle: Probabilistic Risk Assessment For Human Consumers, Katherine E. Horak, Richard Chipman, Lisa Murphy, John Johnston

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The issue of food insecurity affects millions of people in the United States every year. Often these people rely on soup kitchens, food banks, and shelters for proper meals, and these organizations often depend on donations to meet needs. One of the most limited food resources is meat. To help alleviate this problem, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services donates more than 60 tons of wild game (deer, moose, feral hogs, goats, geese, and ducks) to a variety of charitable organizations each year. Although commercially produced meat routinely undergoes screening for contaminants, potential exposure to environmental contaminants from eating …

Effects Of Spatiotemporal Resource Heterogeneity On Home Range Size Of American Beaver, L. F. Mcclintic, J. D. Taylor Ii, J. C. Jones, R. D. Singleton, G. Wang

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Home range size of terrestrial animals may be influenced by spatiotemporal dynamics of resources. However, little is known regarding the effects of spatiotemporal resource availability on semi-aquatic central place foragers such as the American beaver Castor canadensis. From January 2011 to April 2012, 26 beavers at 11 wetlands at Redstone Arsenal in north-central Alabama, USA, were captured and radio-tracked using radio telemetry. The objectives of this study were to test the predictions of three hypotheses: (1) the resource dispersion hypothesis: more spatially dispersed resources throughout a landscape increase home range sizes; (2) the temporal resource variability hypothesis: more temporally …

The Spring Migration Of Adult North American Ospreys, Mark S. Martell, Richard O. Bierregaard Jr., Brian E. Washburn, John E. Elliott, Charles J. Henry, Robert S. Kennedy, Iain Macleod

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Most North American Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) are migratory, breeding in northern latitudes and migrating long distances to and from their wintering grounds in the tropics. Although fall migration patterns of North American Ospreys have been described and studied, very little has been published about the spring migration of these birds. We used satellite telemetry to: (1) determine the characteristics (timing, duration, migratory routes) of spring migrations of Ospreys; (2) determine if differences in spring migration patterns existed between sexes and among three breeding populations (east coast, midwestern, and western); and (3) compare consecutive fall and spring migrations of …

The Influence Of Breeding Experience On Nest Success In Red-Winged Blackbird, George M. Linz, Richard S. Sawin, Mark W. Lutman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) is a polygynous species, and females are typically responsible for the majority of parental care. Despite their limited involvement, males can contribute to reproduction through nest defense and the feeding of nestlings. Some aspects of nest defense may be learned, and older males are more likely to feed young, suggesting that males with previous breeding experience may enjoy higher nest success than their naïve counterparts. We manipulated territory ownership on 10 wetlands in central North Dakota in order to examine the influence of breeding experience on reproductive success. We found no evidence that …

Modeling Black Bear Population Dynamics In A Human-Dominated Stochastic Environment, David L. Lewis, Stewart W. Breck, Kenneth R. Wilson, Colleen T. Webb

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Many large carnivore populations exist in human-influenced stochastic environments where availability of natural food sources vary annually and anthropogenic food sources can supplement energetic demands, but at a potential demographic cost due to human–wildlife conflict and subsequent conflict management. Understanding how these competing factors influence a population is complex and difficult to study, but here we demonstrate the utility of using a stochastic projection matrix model and perturbation analysis to gain insight into this problem. We modeled a black bear population subjected to stochastic failures of fruiting and masting species, but with access to garbage in urban environments.We parameratized our …

Regulation Of Tree Squirrel Populations With Immunocontraception: A Fox Squirrel Example, Sara K. Krause, Douglas A. Kelt, Dirk H. Van Vuren, James P. Gionfriddo

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Tree squirrels (Sciurus spp.) are highly successful immigrants to urban and suburban areas in North America and Europe, causing both economic and ecological damage. Control of such invasive populations is challenging but of increasing importance to local managers. We studied an invasive population of fox squirrels (S. niger) and applied an immunocontraceptive vaccine in an experimental study of demographic control. Here we integrate our data into a simple stage-structured population model to simulate population reduction under 2 treatment levels (60 and 80% of females, respectively) for vaccines lasting from 1 to 5 years. Contraception can be an …

Parenteral Administration Of Gnrh Constructs And Adjuvants: Immuneresponses And Effects On Reproductive Tissues Of Male Mice, Sameer Sharma, Ian Mcdonald, Lowell Martin, Lyn A. Hinds

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Two gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) constructs prepared by either chemical conjugation tokeyhole limpet hemocyanin (GnRH-KLH) or as an expressed recombinant fusion protein (Multimer) wereevaluated with or without adjuvants (immunostimulating complexes, ISCOMs, or cytosine-phosphate-guanosine oligodeoxynucleotides, CpG ODNs). After subcutaneous administration to Balb/c male mice atWeeks 0, 2 and 4, these preparations were assessed for induction of immune responses and effects onreproductive organs. GnRH-KLH plus ISCOMs formulation induced strong IgG immune responses fromWeek 4 through Week 12 resulting in consistent reproductive organ atrophy by Week 12 after sub-cutaneous administration. GnRH-KLH plus CpG ODNs generated immune responses but no atrophy ofreproductive tissues by …

Using Sterilization To Change Predation Rates Of Wild Coyotes:A Test Case Involving Pronghorn Fawns, Renee G. Seidler, Eric M. Gese, Mary M. Conner

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Surgical sterilization of coyotes (Canis latrans) reduced their predation rate on domesticsheep. We investigated whether sterilizing coyotes would similarly change coyote pre-dation rates on pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra americana) neonates. From May 2006 toMarch 2008, we radio-collared 71 pronghorn fawns to determine survival rates in south-east Colorado, USA. During the first year of the study, all coyotes were reproductively intact. During the second year, we surgically sterilized 15 coyotes from 10 packs in the southernhalf of the study area, while nine coyotes from seven packs in the northern half were givensham sterilizations (i.e., remained reproductively intact). In …

Diffusion Of Influenza Viruses Among Migratory Birds With A Focus On The Southwest United States, Matthew Scotch, Tommy Tsan-Yuk Lam, Kristy L. Pabilonia, Theodore Anderson, John Baroch, Dennis Kohler, Thomas J. Deliberto

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The Southwest United States, including Arizona and New Mexico, has a diverse climate and is home to many different avian species. We sequenced the hemagglutinin (HA) gene of twenty influenza specimens for the years 2007–2009. This included four from Arizona, and sixteen from New Mexico. We analyzed the sequences and determined the following HA subtypes: H3, H4, H6, H8, and H11. For each subtype, we combined our virus sequences with those from a public database, and inferred phylogeographic models of influenza diffusion. Statistical phylogeography indicated that overall evolutionary diffusion of avian influenza viruses is geographically structured (p < 0.05). In addition, we found that diffusion to the Southwest was often from nearby states including California. For H3, H4 and H6, the intra-flyway gene flow rates were significantly (p < 0.001) higher than those of inter-flyway. Such rate difference was also observed in H8 and H11, yet, without statistical significance (p = 0.132, p = 0.190, respectively). Excluding any one flyway from the calculation generated similar results, suggesting that such barrier effect on gene flow rates is not exclusively produced by any single flyway. We also calculated the Bayes factor test for the significant non-zero rates between states and identified significant routes both within and across flyways. Such inter-flyway spread of influenza was probably the result of birds from four flyways co-mingling on breeding grounds in northern regions or marshaling on staging areas post breeding in Canada or Alaska, before moving south each fall. This study provides an initial analysis of evolutionary diffusion of avian influenza virus to and from the Southwest United States. However, more sequences from this region need to be generated to determine the role of host migration and other factors on influenza diffusion.

Behavioral Traits And Airport Type Affect Mammal Incidents With U.S. Civil Aircraft, Kristin B. Schwarz, Jerrold L. Belant, James A. Martin, Travis L. Devault, Guiming Wang

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wildlife incidents with aircraft cost the United States (U.S.) civil aviation industry >US$1.4 billion in estimated damages and loss of revenue from 1990 to 2009. Although terrestrial mammals represented only 2.3 % of wildlife incidents, damage to aircraft occurred in 59 % of mammal incidents. We examined mammal incidents (excluding bats) at all airports in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Wildlife Strike Database from 1990 to 2010 to characterize these incidents by airport type: Part-139 certified (certificated) and general aviation (GA). We also calculated relative hazard scores for species most frequently involved in incidents. We found certificated airports had …

Shedding Of A Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus In A Common Synanthropic Mammal – The Cottontail Rabbit, J. Jeffrey Root, Susan A. Shriner, Kevin T. Bentler, Thomas Gidlewski, Nicole L. Mooers, Terry R. Spraker, Kaci K. Vandalen, Heather J. Sullivan, Alan B. Franklin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Background: Cottontails (Sylvilagus spp.) are common mammals throughout much of the U.S. and are often found in peridomestic settings, potentially interacting with livestock and poultry operations. If these animals are susceptible to avian influenza virus (AIV) infections and shed the virus in sufficient quantities they may pose a risk for movement of avian influenza viruses between wildlife and domestic animals in certain situations.

Methodology/Principal Findings: To assess the viral shedding potential of AIV in cottontails, we nasally inoculated fourteen cottontails with a low pathogenic AIV (H4N6). All inoculated cottontails shed relatively large quantities of viral RNA both nasally ( …

Influence Of Habitat Structure And Food On Patch Choice Ofcaptive Coyotes, Sharon A. Poessel, Eric M. Gese, Julie K. Young

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Increasing urban development can have significant effects on wildlife species, includingcarnivores. Some carnivore species have been able to adapt to and even thrive in urban envi-ronments, including coyotes (Canis latrans). The presence of carnivores in urban areas cansometimes lead to conflicts with humans and their pets. Although coyotes may frequentlyuse urban areas, they also inhabit natural areas surrounding urban development. Under-standing the various factors affecting patch choice of urban coyotes may assist wildlifeofficials in managing human-coyote conflicts. Both sex and behavioral profile can influ-ence patch choice; bold individuals are more likely to be exploratory than shy animals,which can …

Short Report: Antibody Prevalence Of Select Arboviruses In Mute Swans (Cygnus Olor) In The Great Lakes Region And Atlantic Coast Of The United States, Kerri Pedersen, David R. Marks, Dustin M. Arsnoe, Sarah N. Bevins, Eryu Wang, Scott C. Weaver, Randall M. Mickley, Thomas J. Deliberto

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Mute swans (Cygnus olor) are an invasive species in the United States. The dramatic increase in their populations in localized areas has led to various problems, among them competition with native species and attacks on humans by aggressive swans. However, very little is known about the ability of these swans to transmit pathogens to humans, domestic birds, or wildlife or participate in enzootic maintenance. To learn more about select pathogens that mute swans may harbor, a survey was conducted from April of 2011 to August of 2012 in the Great Lakes region and localized areas of the Atlantic …

European Starling Feeding Activity On Repellent Treated Crops And Pellets, Shelagh K. Tupper, Scott J. Werner, James C. Carlson, Susan E. Pettit, John C. Wise, Catherine A. Lindell, George M. Linz

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The varied diet of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris L.) can present challenges when working with starlings in experimental testing and holding situations and should be taken into account when testing repellents applied to food. Our purpose was to evaluate an anthraquinone-based repellent (Arkion Life Sciences, New Castle, DE, USA; active ingredient 50% 9,10-anthraquinone; hereafter anthraquinone) and SucraShield^TM (Natural Forces, Davidson, NC, USA; active ingredient 40% sucrose octanoate esters) repellent for non-lethal protection of specialty crops (i.e., fruit, sweet corn) and grains. Our objectives were to evaluate (1) laboratory efficacy of anthraquinone applied topically to blueberries and sweet …