Environmental Health and Protection Commons^™

Starling Control In Livestock Feeding Areas, Richard R. West, Jerome F. Besser, John W. Degrazio

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 3rd (1967)

The Denver Wildlife Research Center has been investigating methods to combat starling (Sturnus vulgaris) problems at livestock feeding areas since 1960. A variety of chemicals, baits, and methods of bait placement have been tested. This paper summarizes these investigations.

CHEMICALS TESTED About 500 chemicals have been screened for toxic and stupefacient effects on starlings. Although several chemicals have been found that immobilize starlings in the laboratory, they have been largely ineffective in the field; most starlings regurgitate the treated baits, and seldom have substantial numbers been affected. Of the toxicants screened, four compounds, TEPP, DRC-632, DRC-1327, and DRC-1339, have shown …

The Summer European Starling Problem In Tulare County, William R. Clark

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 3rd (1967)

Summer starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) are known to have caused damage to the agricultural industry of Tulare County since 1960. At this time the first confirmed appreciable damage to grapes occurred. Since that year the threat has grown considerably as populations have increased. Annual monetary losses have fluctuated but damage has increased steadily and many losses are going unreported or unevaluated by the growers. Known total monetary losses in Tulare County have reached over $28,500.00 in a single summer and the unknown or unrealized losses would probably double this figure. The diversity of crops damaged has mounted steadily, as anticipated, and …

Winter Starling Control With Drc-1339, Paul E. Levingston

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 3rd (1967)

Several years ago starling problems in cattle feed lots exploded to economic proportions. In 1964 one northern California feed lot operator reported a loss of $1,000 per day during the winter months. This resulted from daily activity of over a million starlings. Along with consuming and contaminating large amounts of cattle feed, the birds disturbed the cattle and prevented regular feeding habits. This reduced weight gains drastically. To combat what had become a state-wide problem, in 1962 a cooperative program between the California Department of Agriculture, the county agricultural commissioners, the United States Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, and …

The Use Of Live Traps To Remove Starlings And Protect Agricultural Products In The State Of Washington, Vincent Bogatich

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 3rd (1967)

Much has already been said and written about the use of live traps for the control of starlings in the State of Washington and our efforts have evidently been viewed with interest for we have received letters and questions about our program from all over the world. Our interest in the possibilities of the live trap began back in 1960 when spring and summer surveys revealed a high nesting population and an increasing percentage of bird damage to a very valuable cherry growing industry. This damage was mainly attributable to the local flocks of juvenile starlings. Over the years we …

Winter Starling Control In Idaho, Nevada, And Oregon, Homer S. Ford

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 3rd (1967)

This paper is intended to bring you up-to-date on the progress of various winter starling control projects conducted by our Bureau on feedlots in Idaho, Nevada, and Oregon. This report briefly covers the field work accomplished since that reported by the late Mr. H. Nelson Elliott in his paper delivered to the second meeting of your conference held in Anaheim, California, in March 1964. Prior to the winter of 1960-61 we experienced a tremendous build-up of starling populations in feedlot situations throughout the Pacific Northwest. The expanding livestock feeding industry was receiving great economic losses from starlings eating livestock feed …

A Method Of Controlling Jack Rabbits On A Range Rehabilitation Project In California, Frank A. Wetherbee

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 3rd (1967)

In recent years the Bureau of Land Management's range rehabilitation program in the high sagebrush areas of northeastern California has included control of sagebrush preceded by the seeding of drought resistant grasses such as crested wheatgrass. Jack rabbit browsing and uprooting of young seedling plants has in many instances severely retarded the establishment of these grasses. Because of this it has become apparent that rabbit reduction in many of these areas is essential if a grass stand is to become established. A comparison of Figures 6 and 7 illustrates the problems jack rabbits can cause to range rehabilitation projects where …

Biotelemetry — Its Use In Vertebrate Control Studies, Wendell E. Dodge

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 3rd (1967)

Accurate evaluation of rodent control techniques has always been a laborious undertaking. It generally involves tedious pre- and post-treatment censusing by trapping, marking, track counts, reduction of activity, etc., and results, at best, must necessarily contain a significant amount of speculation by the investigator. The biologist conducting such studies has been constantly harassed by uncontrollable parameters such as trap response, immigration, emigration, predation, disease, and many others. Thus, there has been a pressing need of a more definitive technique for evaluating rodent control trials. During the last decade, a new tool called biotelemetry has become available to the wildlife biologist. …

Rodent Problems On Private Forest Lands In Northwestern California, Jarrold B. Cone

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 3rd (1967)

Rodents damage is important to forest management and is adequately described in the literature (Kverno, 1964; Hooven, 1958, 1959; Lawrence, 1958; Isaac, 1943; Kangur, 1954; Tevis, 1956a). It is not the intent of this paper to reiterate the types of damage or the rodents involved; the reader who is interested in this topic is particularly directed to the work of Lawrence, Kverno, and Hartwell (1361). This paper is concerned with the major forest rodent control efforts currently being employed in northwestern California. It will describe the background of literature and investigation from which present practices evolved, the implications that these …

The Status And Use Of Gophacide, Voit B. Richens

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 3rd (1967)

Toxicants have been widely used for several decades to reduce numbers of problem animals. The utility of these substances, however, has been limited by hazards to other animals and man, inadequate effectiveness against the target species, and restrictions on use. The ecological complexity of most habitats in which animal control is undertaken requires utilization of new poisons that are less hazardous, more effective, and more specific. Gophacide1, Bayer 38819, 0_, 0-bis(p-chlorophenyl) acetimidoylphosphoramidothioate, is generally favorable in these respects. Tests with Gophacide were initiated at the Denver Wildlife Research Center in late 1961; and more recently, this chemical has also been …

Biological Control Of Vertebrate Pests, Walter E. Howard

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 3rd (1967)

This paper briefly introduces the subject of vertebrate pest control, integrates and interprets some important ecological principles of control methodology, and intercalates these discussions with analysis of the biological backlashes and other ecological interactions that may be created whenever troublesome species of vertebrates are controlled by biological means. Insight in this area must be deepened if we are to fulfill our primary objective of learning how to manage a healthy environment in perpetuity. One important merit of biocontrol is that most people accept carefully planned ecological dislocations in nature more readily than they do the repugnant and hazardous aspects of …

Recent Developments In The Control Of Vertebrate Problem Animals In The Province Of The Cape Of Good Hope, Republic Of South Africa, Douglas Hey

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 3rd (1967)

In an earlier paper (Hey, 1964 an account was given of the topography and climate of the Cape Province, a description of the vertebrate animals and birds which might be considered to fall in the category of problem animals and the control methods used. The present paper will, therefore, deal with advances in control techniques which have since been made. At this juncture, it would be appropriate to record our sincere appreciation to the Director and Staff of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and particularly to the Senior Officers of the Denver Research Center, District Agents Malcolm Allison and …

Federal Wildlife Importation Regulations: The Why And Wherefore, Joseph P. Linduska

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 3rd (1967)

This is a hasty and in many ways superficial review of the motivations that started us in the business of importing new, strange, beautiful, and hopefully useful wildlife. It is a capsuled account of the high cost of ill-advised introductions and of near misses that were avoided thanks to a few individuals who viewed such transplants with skepticism and even alarm. And I have touched also on the highlights of the legislative base from which we now operate in efforts to safeguard agriculture and other values from ravages of exotic wildlife; wildlife that may succeed too well with us and …

Conference Participants

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 3rd (1967)

The Third Vertebrate Pest Conference was an enormous success with 265 in attendance, of these, 203 were registered participants. The attendance was made up of individuals having varying interests in vertebrate pest problems including foresters, agriculturalists, conservationists, pest control operators, vector control specialists, health officials, wildlife specialists, product distributors and manufacturers, instructors and researchers from twenty three states plus Washington D. C. and South Africa.

Epizootic Ecology In The Training Program Of The Vector-Borne Disease Section, Harold E. Stark

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 3rd (1967)

To fulfill the primary objective of the Vector-Borne Disease Section of NCDC to reduce the incidence of vector-borne diseases - a series of courses on vertebrates and arthropods and their role as reservoirs, vectors, and disease-causing agents is presented. Literature is prepared and a museum is maintained. One of these courses, Epizootic Ecology, illustrates some of the aspects dealt with in these courses. Definitions and concepts are presented followed by a brief review of principles of epidemiology and ecology. Specific examples constitute the bulk of the course. One of these, tularemia, is especially useful for the purposes of this course …

Bait Mixing Equipment Used In Vertebrate Pest Control, Percy F. Wright

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 2nd (1964)

I would like to discuss with you the reason why agricultural commissioners are in the poison bait business. The following are excerpts from the Agricultural Code of the State of California. Section 100 describes a pest as follows: "Pest means any of the following that is, or is liable to be dangerous or detrimental to the agricultural industry of this State" and for the purpose of this talk only part two of this section is cited which states, "any form of animal life." This is the part which covers vertebrate pests. Section 102 states, "Each commissioner is an enforcing officer …

Forest Animal Damage Control, Nelson B. Kverno

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 2nd (1964)

As a nation we have gained world recognition for our ability to utilize our resources. In forestry our greatest accomplishments have been in the mechanization of harvest methods and in improvements in forest products. The renewal of this resource has been our greatest neglect. Though the end of the 19th Century marked the beginning of the conservation movement, it was not until a half century later that the force of economics through the demands of a growing population made forest re-establishment more than just a desire. Conservation in itself is a Utopian concept which requires other motivating forces to make …

Rabbit Control, Warren V. Johnson

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 2nd (1964)

Common California rabbits comprise two major genera. One, the genus Sylvilagus, or true rabbit, is represented by the cottontail and brush rabbits. The second of the two major genera is the genus Lepus, or hares. These are erroneously called the jack rabbits and snow shoe rabbits. The common jack rabbit, Lepus californicus, is the most familiar one throughout California and portions of some of the other western states. Because of their size and abundance, they are by far the most destructive - so emphasis will be placed on this species throughout the balance of this report. The diet of the …

Animal Control In New Zealand, Walter E. Howard

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 2nd (1964)

New Zealand has a multiplicity of challenging animal-control problems, and all of them concern animals which man has intentionally introduced either for sport, food or fur. Since the beginning of European settlement in the 19th Century, approximately 53 species of mammals and 125 species of birds have been deliberately or accidentally introduced into New Zealand, and 34 birds and 31 mammals have become established (Wodzicki, 1950). The principal reasons the exotic big game animals (Riney, 1955), fur bearers and feral domestic livestock have been so destructive to certain habitats in New Zealand are because 1) some of the soils are …

Closing Remarks: Second Vertebrate Pest Control Conference, Maynard W. Cummings

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 2nd (1964)

The Second Vertebrate Pest Control Conference is concluded. We hope it has been, in some measure, educational and worthwhile to each one of you. Many of you who are here attended the first conference, which was held in Sacramento two years ago. The obvious spirit displayed at that meeting, a genuine intense interest in absorbing new knowledge presented by the speakers, the warmth of making and renewing acquaintances among fellow workers and the enjoyment of the truly rare opportunity to exchange information in this special field, vertebrate pest control, has, I feel, been reenacted here. For these reasons this second …

The Evolution Of Plague Control In California, Keith F. Murray

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 2nd (1964)

Bubonic plague no longer is regarded as the dreaded black death of the middle ages. The last great plague pandemic has come to an end. In California, human cases have averaged no more than one every two years for several decades. With modern antibiotics properly administered, recovery is assured. At the same time, there is no doubt that plague is firmly entrenched in the rodent fauna and we should not be lulled even by years of quiescence into assuming that massive epizootics will not break out in the future. There is the un-measurable risk of a quick pneumonic outbreak with …

Highlights Of Bird Control Research In England, France, Holland, And Germany, John L. Seubert

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 2nd (1964)

The purpose of this paper is to present a brief review of the research being conducted in England, France, Germany, and The Netherlands on problems caused by nuisance and depredating birds. Much of the information presented has been obtained through correspondence with collaborators. In the fall of 1962, I discussed depredating bird and bird-airport problems with research workers in these countries, and also attended the meeting of the International Union of Applied Ornithology held in Frankfurt/Main. In November 1963, I attended an international symposium about the bird-airport problem, held in Nice, France. This paper will draw attention to the current …

Antifertility Agents In Vertebrate Pest Control, Donald S. Balser

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 2nd (1964)

There is an increasing need for new means of population control from the simplest organisms up to the larger mammalian species (include man if you wish.) A number of interesting and promising leads, such as environmental manipulation, introduction of predators, diseases, parasites, etc., and particularly antifertility agents, have been proposed for some time, but research into the latter approach in mammal control is quite recent and limited. The use of toxic agents has long been the principal method of vertebrate population con¬trol, but the potential for the use of antiferti1ity agents to suppress reproduction may provide an important advancement. I …

Starlings In California, Charles C. Siebe

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 2nd (1964)

In 1959 Dr. Walter E. Howard, in an article printed in the Bulletin of the California Department of Agriculture, stated: "Even though the starling may be unwanted in California, it is now here and there is little chance of extirpating it". This statement is as true today as it was five years ago. At present we have in California a resident population that is increasing each year and will most probably continue to increase. Nesting starlings have been found from Imperial and San Diego Counties in the south to Modoc County in the north. To-date damage has been confined primarily …

The Control Of Vertebrate Problem Animals In The Province Of The Cape Of Good Hope, Republic Of South Africa, Douglas Hey

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 2nd (1964)

The policy of the Cape Provincial Department of Nature Conservation is based on the concept of "wise management" of wildlife resources. Where crop damage is real, control measures are essential. These, however, must be adapted to the species concerned and applied only where the damage is taking place. Blanket measures which also kill many useful species must be avoided. For this reason, the control of problem animals should be vested in the agency concerned with wildlife conservation.

Pest Control Methods And People, John E. Swift

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 2nd (1964)

Frankly I am not sure what "Pest Control Methods and People" really means. When I asked what I should cover, I was told to give a general discussion on pesticides. I am not sure this is appropriate even though the laws and regulations that pertain to other pesticides apply equally to those materials used in vertebrate pest control; the conditions of use, the types of chemicals used, their effect upon various animal species, and the number of chemicals available are so different from the pesticides used in controlling invertebrate pests that generalizations may not cover the topic. There are, however, …

Methods Of Controlling Blackbird Damage To Field Corn In South Dakota, John W. De Grazio

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 2nd (1964)

One of the most widespread bird problems in the Western United States is damage to ripening cereal grain crops. Crops such as corn, rice, and sorghum, when grown close to favored roosting areas are often subject to serious damage from large flocks of feeding blackbirds. The redwinged blackbird is the most numerous species and causes most of the damage, but other blackbird species, including the yellow-headed blackbird, the common grackle, the brown-headed cowbird, and Brewer's blackbird, also contribute to damage problems. The Denver Wildlife Research Center is actively investigating methods to combat blackbird depredations to field corn in the vicinity …

Bats: Their Public Health Importance And Control With Special Reference To Trinidad, Arthur M. Greenhall

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 2nd (1964)

This brief review of the public health importance and control of bats is oriented to Trinidad, where, during the past ten years I investigated their zoomedical importance (1). Trinidad is noted for Pawan's classic epidemiological studies of bat rabies (2,3) as well as its bat control program with which I have been associated since its inception in 1934 (4). Further, Trinidad has bat problems, in addition to rabies, which occur in other countries of the world. Although various methods of bat control have been developed in Trinidad, the field is virtually unexplored. Increasingly, bat control is a matter of paramount …

Sound In Vertebrate Pest Control, Hubert Frings

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 2nd (1964)

The best known vertebrate pests, as the papers presented at this meeting show, are birds and mammals. Other vertebrates, however, may become pests also: sharks, lampreys, toads (they fall into swimming pools), geckos, tortoises and snakes, for example. Without considering them, however, the depredations by birds and mammals alone are so varied that no single method of pest control can ever be all-embracing. Certainly, no one would suggest that acoustical methods would be, but, with further study, acoustical pest control should be much more widely used. I hope to point out here the possibilities and a few realities in bio-acoustics …

Hawaiian Sugar Cane Rat Control Methods And Problems, William R. Smythe

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 2nd (1964)

The problem of rats in our Hawaiian sugar cane fields has been with us for a long time. Early records tell of heavy damage at various times on all the islands where sugar cane is grown. Many methods were tried to control these rats. Trapping was once used as a control measure, a bounty was used for a time, gangs of dogs were trained to catch the rats as the cane was harvested. Many kinds of baits and poisons were used. All of these methods were of some value as long as labor was cheap. Our present day problem started …

Roof Rat Populations In Santa Clara County, California, Dean H. Ecke

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 2nd (1964)

Northern Santa Clara County, California, was historically an agricultural community with orchard culture dominating the economy. Prunes, apricots, walnuts, and cherries were the principal crops. Orchards were disced clean during most of the summer growing season, and a cover crop of mustard or horse beans was grown beneath the trees in winter. About the only "natural" year around cover on the valley floor was the brush and grass which volunteered along the several creek banks. Under such conditions, roof rats (Rattus rattus) were not numerous. An occasional rat colony could be found in a fruit processing shed or …