USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center SIS Project

Accession Number

5005006

Title

Avian Pesticide Incident Network

Project Description

This project is in response to a partnership between the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center

(PWRC) and the American Bird Conservancy (ABC). ABC developed the Avian Pesticide Incident

Network (APIN) project to gain a better understanding of avian poisonings from pesticides. APIN

will provide permitted wildlife professionals with access to screening and diagnostic resources to

verify avian incidents that might otherwise go unrecorded because of cost or lack of resources.

Protocols for collection of samples, deciding if the bird is poisoned by pesticides, transport of

samples, and pesticide analysis for avian carcasses and blood samples from live birds suspected

of pesticide poisoning have been developed by the ABC working group. A select group of eight

wildlife rehabilitators from eight states will submit to PWRC samples that pass the APINs

screening protocol for determining pesticide poisoning. At PWRC, carcasses will be necropsied,

brain and blood will be analyzed for cholinesterase activity, and ingestia will be submitted to the

U.S. Fish and Wildlifes Patuxent Analytical Control Facility for pesticide residue analysis.

Approximately 500 carcasses and 200 blood samples will be analyzed. Information will be

compiled to further an understanding of avian loss from pesticides. This trial is a preliminary step

to a larger monitoring effort which will be initiated pending information generated by APIN.The

partnership agreement between ABC and PWRC allows for:1. Contribution of Dr. Nimish B. Vyass

time to provide oversight and ongoing evaluation of the protocols and the inter-PWRC process2.

Contribution of Dr. Glenn Olsens time for conducting necropsy.ABC staff will conduct

cholinesterase analysis and daily work.

Keywords

birds, cholinesterase, monitoring, mortalities, pesticides, residues,

Principal

Glenn H Olsen, USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center: glenn_olsen@usgs.gov;

Investigators

Navigate PWRC SIS projects by Accession Number: First Previous Next Last