Salmonellosis in songbirds in the Canadian Atlantic provinces during winter-summer 1997-98.

From winter 1997 to summer 1998, an epizootic of salmonellosis affected several species of songbirds over a large area of the eastern North American continent. This article describes the details of this epizootic in the Canadian Atlantic provinces, based on laboratory examination of dead affected birds and on suspected but unconfirmed cases of salmonellosis reported by members of the public. The common redpoll (Carduelis flammea) was the species most often affected, followed by pine siskins (C. pinus), purple finches (Carpodacus purpureus), evening grosbeaks (Coccothraustes vespertinus), and American goldfinches (Carduelis tristis). A poor body condition and necrotizing and fibrinopurulent esophagitis and ingluvitis were the most common gross lesions in these birds. Thirty-four of 35 isolates of Salmonella recovered from these birds were identified as phage type 40. Despite the magnitude of this and previous epizootics of salmonellosis among North American songbirds, the sources of these epizootics and the precise influence of environmental factors on their occurrence remain poorly understood.

An interlaboratory comparison of data on brain cholinesterase activity in forest songbirds exposed to aerial application of Zectran.

Zectran (4-dimethylamino-3,5-xylyl N-methyl-carbamate), a carbamate insecticide (active ingredient [AI] mexacarbate), was aerially applied to two 300 ha plots of coniferous forest at dosage rates of 70 and 140 g AI/ha, respectively. The brains of 288 birds collected from the treated areas and 84 birds from untreated areas were sagittally sectioned into approximately equal halves. Each of the laboratories participating in the study, the Forest Pest Management Institute (FPMI) and the Canadian Wildlife Service, Atlantic Region (CWS), assayed one half of each brain for cholinesterase (ChE) activity and the results were compared. The ChE estimates of the two laboratories on half brains from the same birds were poorly correlated (R = 0.136, P less than 0.05) and differed significantly (P less than 0.00005). The reasons for this are uncertain. Despite the discrepancy in ChE estimates, however, separate statistical analysis of each data set produced the same general conclusion: the ChE response to Zectran exposure was statistically significant but biologically unimportant. In both data sets, statistically significant ChE responses by niche and time since spraying were found. The dosage rate emitted from the airplane was a better predictor of ChE activity in the canopy niches than was volume deposited at ground level, but volume deposited was a more useful predictor for ground birds in most situations. These results are discussed in the context of a proposal to develop a reference file of normal brain ChE activities of common wildlife species.

Brain acetylcholinesterase activity in forest songbirds exposed to a new method of UULV fenitrothion spraying.

Brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was measured in forest songbirds exposed to Ultra Ultra Low Volume (UULV) aerial spraying of fenitrothion in New Brunswick for spruce budworm control. Brain AChE activity was determined in 324 songbirds from the sprayed blocks and 47 from an unsprayed control area, and represented four species. In most cases, more than half of the individuals of any species sampled were diagnosed as "exposed" (greater than or equal to 20% inhibition) to the fenitrothion sprays and had a mean percent level of inhibition of 40% or greater, relative to mean control values. The proportion of birds with life-threatening levels of inhibition (greater than or equal to 50%) was usually less than 20%. The largest proportion of birds with life-threatening inhibition was found after the first 210 g AI/ha spray. The White-throated Sparrow had the highest proportion (25-55%) of individuals with life-threatening inhibition after all sprays. Brain AChE inhibition was greater in exposed birds collected after the first 210 g AI/ha spray than after the second one. Variation among species' responses to the sprays is discussed in relation to habitat and foraging preferences. Several sampling biases which may contribute to underestimation of the impact of fenitrothion spraying on birds are identified.

An improved method to study the impact of pesticide sprays on small song birds.

Four test groups of small songbirds (Zebra Finch, Poephila guttata) were sprayed in a chamber with varying concentrations of fenitrothion. Exposure levels were assessed by monitoring air concentrations, deposits of the active ingredient (AI) on glass plates and droplets/cm2 on Kromekote cards. All indices of exposure were linearly correlated and the mean AI deposit on glass plates for the four groups tested with equivalent to 38, 51, 139 and 255 g/ha or 14%, 18%, 50% and 91% of the highest permissible emitted rate for broadscale forest spraying in Canada. Significant depression in body weights and brain acetylcholinesterase levels were noted only for the highest exposure group. Fenitrothion residues in blood were detectable only at the highest exposure level, and in liver at the two higher levels. Carcass and feather residues were much higher than those in blood and liver, and were detectable at all exposure levels but the residues did not increase linearly with exposure. For one of the spray groups, we were able to compute an equivalent acute oral dose based on matching acetylcholinesterase inhibition.