Mortality of passerines adjacent to a North Carolina corn field treated with granular carbofuran

Tom Augspurger; Milton R. Smith; Carol U. Meteyer; Kathryn A. Converse

doi:10.7589/0090-3558-32.1.113

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Mortality of passerines adjacent to a North Carolina corn field treated with granular carbofuran

Tom Augspurger·Milton R. Smith·Carol U. Meteyer·Kathryn A. Converse

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Abstract

Red-winged blackbirds ( Agelaius phoeniceus ) were collected during an epizootic in southeastern North Carolina (USA). Activity of brain cholinesterase (ChE) was inhibited by 14 to 48% in three of five specimens, and returned to normal levels after incubation. Gastrointestinal tracts were analyzed for 30 anti-ChE agents. Carbofuran, the only compound detected, was present in all specimens at levels from 5.44 to 72.7 μg/g wet weight. Application of granular carbofuran in an adjacent corn field, results of necropsy examinations, and chemical analyses are consistent with a diagnosis of carbofuran poisoning in these specimens.

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Journal of Wildlife Diseases Article

Source-reported bounding extent: 33.84076406581977° to 34.29579932143427° latitude; -78.8214111328125° to -77.92739868164062° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

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Tom Augspurger, Milton R. Smith, Carol U. Meteyer, Kathryn A. Converse. 1996. Mortality of passerines adjacent to a North Carolina corn field treated with granular carbofuran. https://doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-32.1.113

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