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USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Series

Blackbirds

Articles 1 - 15 of 15

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Using Bioenergetics And Radar-Derived Bird Abundance To Assess The Impact Of A Blackbird Roost On Seasonal Sunflower Damage, Bonnie A. Clark, Page E. Klug, Phillip M. Stepanian, Jeffrey F. Kelly Jan 2020

Using Bioenergetics And Radar-Derived Bird Abundance To Assess The Impact Of A Blackbird Roost On Seasonal Sunflower Damage, Bonnie A. Clark, Page E. Klug, Phillip M. Stepanian, Jeffrey F. Kelly

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Methods aimed at reducing avian damage to agricultural crops are routinely implemented in situations where efficacy can be assessed by quantifying blackbird (Icteridae) abundance relative to environmental variables and extrapolating to ensuing crop damage. Concomitantly, Weather Surveillance Radar (WSR) data may have potential to enhance crop damage mitigation through improved monitoring of nuisance wildlife populations. We used WSR to derive daily abundance estimates of blackbirds at a fall roost in North Dakota, USA from 2012 to 2019. We integrated these estimates with previously developed bioenergeticseconomic models to estimate local sunflower (Helianthus annuus) damage. The greatest losses usually occurred during …

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Evaluation Of Elevated Bait Trays For Attracting Blackbirds (Icteridae) In Central North Dakota, George M. Linz, Jamison B. Winter, William J. Bleier Jan 2012

Evaluation Of Elevated Bait Trays For Attracting Blackbirds (Icteridae) In Central North Dakota, George M. Linz, Jamison B. Winter, William J. Bleier

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) became an economically important crop in North Dakota in the 1970s, providing a major source of food for post-breeding blackbirds (Icteridae). Reducing local blackbird populations with rice grains treated with an avicide is one proposed alternative for reducing sunflower damage. In fall 2007 and 2008, we evaluated the idea of attracting blackbirds to rice-baited trays attached to wire cages supplied with live blackbirds. During our observations (1011 h), we saw 3888 birds, consisting of 25 species and 12 families, on the bait trays. Blackbirds made up 90.4% of the bird observations, whereas sparrows (Emberizidae) made …

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Are Sunflower Fields For The Birds?, Heath M. Hagy, George M. Linz, William J. Bleier Jan 2007

Are Sunflower Fields For The Birds?, Heath M. Hagy, George M. Linz, William J. Bleier

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The northern Great Plains are home to a variety of birds throughout the year, particularly during migration. Migratory species use native and restored grasslands, shelterbelts, and agricultural fields for food and shelter in North Dakota. Blackbirds (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) have been documented to cause economically important damage to some crops and thus, are sometimes the target of concerted harassment efforts. Few studies have assembled an inventory of nonblackbirds using small grain fields during the fall and spring in North Dakota that may be inadvertently affected by blackbird management. At least 94 nonblackbird species use crop fields in the spring …

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Evaluation Of Two Perch Deterrents For Starlings, Blackbirds, And Pigeons, Thomas W. Seamans, Scott C. Barras, Glen E. Bernhardt Jan 2007

Evaluation Of Two Perch Deterrents For Starlings, Blackbirds, And Pigeons, Thomas W. Seamans, Scott C. Barras, Glen E. Bernhardt

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Bird-aircraft collisions are costly and potentially deadly to people and wildlife. From 1990 through 2004, 57,702 bird collisions with aircraft were reported within the USA to the US Federal Aviation Administration. Approximately 82% of the strikes occur below 305 m height about ground level; therefore bird deterrents on airfields that reduce the quality of the birds’ habitat are critical to safe airport operation. One management approach is to reduce perching sites within the airport premises. We tested two anti-perching devices (BirdwireTM and BirdbloxTM) in an aviary setting. As an ancillary test, we determined which wire in a …

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Evaluation Of Different Rice Baits And Chemicals To Improve Efficacy Of 2% Drc-1339 To Reduce Blackbird Damage To Rice, Patricia A. Pipas, John L. Cummings, Jerry C. Hurley, Karen H. Sheffer Feb 2004

Evaluation Of Different Rice Baits And Chemicals To Improve Efficacy Of 2% Drc-1339 To Reduce Blackbird Damage To Rice, Patricia A. Pipas, John L. Cummings, Jerry C. Hurley, Karen H. Sheffer

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Blackbird damage to sprouting rice can be locally severe and costs Louisiana growers an estimated $4 million/year and Texas growers $4.4 million/year. DRC-1339 blackbird baiting programs probably will continue until available alternative control techniques (i.e., repellents) become available. We conducted 3 studies to evaluate different rice baits and chemicals to improve efficacy of DRC-1339 for use at staging areas. During the first study, individually caged red-winged blackbirds preferred untreated medium grain brown rice over long grain brown rice, rough rice, or rough rice soaked with sodium bisulfite. Of birds offered only medium (control), long, rough, and rough rice soaked with …

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Using Fatty Acid Profiles To Assess Dietary Intake Of Sunflower In Red-Winged Blackbirds , Randal S. Stahl, H. Jeffrey Homan, George M. Linz, John J. Johnston Feb 2004

Using Fatty Acid Profiles To Assess Dietary Intake Of Sunflower In Red-Winged Blackbirds , Randal S. Stahl, H. Jeffrey Homan, George M. Linz, John J. Johnston

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In late summer, red-winged blackbirds forage heavily on ripening sunflower crops in the Dakotas. Sunflower achenes have a distinct fatty acid profile that should influence the fatty acid composition in tissues of these buds. To determine if fatty acid composition in tissue could be used as a biomarker indicating dietary history, we fed 18 red-winged blackbirds a sunflower diet for 2 weeks and compared fatty acid profiles in their muscle and liver tissues to a control group of red-winged blackbirds (n = 15) fed a birdseed mix supplemented with safflower seed. Three subjects from each treatment group were sacrificed at …

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Using Geographic Information System (Gis) Software To Predict Blackbird Roosting Locations In North Dakota, Ryan L. Wimberly, Tony A. Slowik, H. Jeffrey Homan, Linda B. Penry Jan 2004

Using Geographic Information System (Gis) Software To Predict Blackbird Roosting Locations In North Dakota, Ryan L. Wimberly, Tony A. Slowik, H. Jeffrey Homan, Linda B. Penry

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Cattail stands provide roosting and staging areas for large congregations of blackbirds in North Dakota in late summer and early fall. Since 1991, the U.S. Depamnent of Agriculture, Ammal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services (WS) program has conducted a cattail management program in North Dakota to alleviate blackbird damage to ripening sunflower. To extend the capabilities of the program, a geographical mformation system (GIS) will be incorporated to help WS personnel find blackbird roosts more effectively. We will use the GIs to construct field maps showing the association between areas of moderate to hgh sunilower damage (>5%) …

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Nontarget Bird Exposure To Drc-1339 During Fall In North Dakota And Spring In South Dakota, Thomas W. Custer, Christine M. Custer, Paul M. Dummer, George M. Linz, Louis Sileo, Randal S. Stahl, John J. Johnston Nov 2003

Nontarget Bird Exposure To Drc-1339 During Fall In North Dakota And Spring In South Dakota, Thomas W. Custer, Christine M. Custer, Paul M. Dummer, George M. Linz, Louis Sileo, Randal S. Stahl, John J. Johnston

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Blackbirds frequently use ripening sunflower (Helianthus annuus)as a food source in the northern Great Plains. In 1999 and 2000, the avicide DRC-1339 (3-chloro-4-methylaniline hydrochloride) was used experimentally on fall-ripening sunflower fields in North Dakota so researchers could evaluate its effectiveness for reducing crop depredations by blackbirds DRC-1339 was applied to rice and broadcast on the ground in a confined area within ripening sunflower fields. One objective of this study was to determine if nontarget birds, birds other than blackbirds, were eating rice and were exposed to DRC 1339. In 1999, 8 of 11(73%) sparrows collected by shotgun in sunflower fields …

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Reducing Blackbird-Human Conflicts In Agriculture And Feedlots: New Methods For An Integrated Management Approach, George M. Linz, H. Jeffrey Homan, Linda B. Penry, Philip Mastrangelo Nov 2003

Reducing Blackbird-Human Conflicts In Agriculture And Feedlots: New Methods For An Integrated Management Approach, George M. Linz, H. Jeffrey Homan, Linda B. Penry, Philip Mastrangelo

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In the United States, blackbirds are abundant and widely distributed. with their winter populations estimated to be between 500 million and 1 billion. Annual damage to grain, fruit, and berry crops from blackbirds exceeds $100 million in direct costs. Additional costs, not estimated, include those spent to prevent human health and safety hazards and those from damage abatement efforts. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services (WS) is charged with reducing the magnitude of health. safety, nuisance, agriculture, and feedlot/dairy problems caused by these birds. WS' goal is to improve profitability to agricultural producers, enhance the human health and safety, …

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Nontarget Bird Use Of Drc-1339 Bait Sites During Operational Baiting Programs In Louisiana And Texas, Patricia A. Pipas, John L. Cummings, John D. Eisemann, Richard M. Engeman Nov 2003

Nontarget Bird Use Of Drc-1339 Bait Sites During Operational Baiting Programs In Louisiana And Texas, Patricia A. Pipas, John L. Cummings, John D. Eisemann, Richard M. Engeman

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Nontarget bird use of DRC-1339 bait sites was assessed during operational baiting programs from 2000-2002 in Louisiana and from 2001-2002 in Texas. DRC-1339 is an avicide registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to manage blackbirds causing damage to agriculture. It was used in Louisiana between 15 February to 15 March and in Texas from January though March to protect newly planted rice. In Louisiana, there were 55 bait sites observed during 316 observation periods (158 observation hours) and 312 flush-counts conducted from 2000-2002. In Texas, there were 26 bait sites observed during 182 observation periods (91 observation hours) and …

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Blackbird And Starling Strikes To Civil Aircraft In The United States, 1990-2001, Scott C. Barras, Sandra E. Wright, Thomas E. Seamans Sep 2003

Blackbird And Starling Strikes To Civil Aircraft In The United States, 1990-2001, Scott C. Barras, Sandra E. Wright, Thomas E. Seamans

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Bird-aircraft collisions (bird strikes) pose hazards to aircraft and cost civil aviation hundreds of millions of dollars in repairs and logistical expenses annually in the United States. Blackbirds and starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) in particular have caused some of the most devastating aircraft accidents related to bird strikes in the United States and Europe. To determine the impacts of blackbirds and starlings to aviation in the United State, we searched the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) National Wildlife Strike Database for all reported strikes involving these species. During 1990-2001, 1,704 strikes involving blackbirds and starlings were reported to the FAA …

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Baiting Blackbirds (Icteridae) In Stubble Grain Fields During Spring Migration In South Dakota, G. M. Linz, G.A. Knutsen, H.J. Homan, W.J. Bleier Feb 2003

Baiting Blackbirds (Icteridae) In Stubble Grain Fields During Spring Migration In South Dakota, G. M. Linz, G.A. Knutsen, H.J. Homan, W.J. Bleier

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Blackbirds (Icteridae) annually damage US$5–8 million of ripening sunflower in the northern Great Plains. Baiting blackbirds with avicide-treated rice during spring migration might reduce the regional breeding population. In March and April 1996–1997, we simulated a baiting program in eastern South Dakota to compare attractiveness of rice-baited plots placed in fields of corn and soybean stubble. Blackbirds used plots in corn stubble more often than plots in soybean stubble and chose rice-baited plots over unbaited reference plots. We conclude that blackbirds can be successfully baited with avicide-treated rice placed in corn stubble. Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

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An Overview Of Current Blackbird Research In The Southern Rice Growing Region Of The United States, John L. Cummings, Michael L. Avery Jan 2003

An Overview Of Current Blackbird Research In The Southern Rice Growing Region Of The United States, John L. Cummings, Michael L. Avery

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus), common grackles (Quiscalus quiscula), and brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater) cause extensive damage to newly planted and ripening rice. The blackbird-rice problem has generated considerable public pressure in states such as Louisiana, Texas, California, Arkansas and Missouri, to find more effective methods of reducing damage caused by blackbirds. USDA/APHIS/WS National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC) works closely with various state rice growers associations and the USDA Wildlife Services (WS) state operational programs to address this high-priority issue. NWRC conducts a multi-faceted research program aimed at resolving blackbird-rice problems. Research focuses on determining …

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Characteristics Of Spring And Fall Blackbird Roosts In The Northern Great Plains, George M. Linz, Richard S. Sawin, Mark W. Lutman, H. Jeffrey Homan, Linda B. Penry, William J. Bleier Jan 2003

Characteristics Of Spring And Fall Blackbird Roosts In The Northern Great Plains, George M. Linz, Richard S. Sawin, Mark W. Lutman, H. Jeffrey Homan, Linda B. Penry, William J. Bleier

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

To successfully reduce blackbird (Icteridae) damage to sunflower crops in the northern Great Plains, wildlife damage managers must be able to identify sites where large roosts could form in spring and fall. In 1998 and 1999, we measured several habitat and land-use characteristics of spring and fall blackbird roosts. Our objective was to quantify the relationship between roost formation and wetland habitat and land-use. We used data from 7 spring roosts and 12 fall blackbird roosts to set search guidelines that might increase the efficacy of locating potential roost sites in the Prairie Pothole Region of the northern Great Plains. …

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Birds Associated With Blackbird Spring Feeding Sites In South Dakota, George M. Linz, David L. Bergman, William J. Bleier Jan 1995

Birds Associated With Blackbird Spring Feeding Sites In South Dakota, George M. Linz, David L. Bergman, William J. Bleier

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

From 2 to 16 April 1993, we conducted road-side surveys of birds using harvested fields of small grains, soybeans, and wm within 8 km of two blackbird roosts in east central South Dakota. Blackbirds, waterfowl, killdeer, homed larks, ring-necked pheasants, and western meadowlarks were the most common buds recorded. The frequencies of blackbirds, non-game birds, terrestrial game birds, and waterfowl was not equally distributed within the three habitats (P = 0.U.23).

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