Chemicals kill birds - not West Nile virus

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Chemicals kill birds

JIM KINNEY, The Saratogian June 12, 2002

SARATOGA SPRINGS -- The dead birds Saratoga County is collecting for

dissection are telling researchers about more than the West Nile virus.

Most of the birds died of pesticide poisoning, said Pat Willson,

communicable disease coordinator for Saratoga County Public Health.

''People should know that these pesticides they are putting on their lawns

are killing the birds,'' Willson said. ''We haven't had a West Nile-positive

bird since 2000.''

The county has sent 15 birds to state Wildlife Pathologist Ward Stone's lab

so far in 2002, Willson said. Saratoga County collected about 30 carcasses

in 2001.

Joe Nemec, of Nemec Farm and Garden Supply on Henry Street, said he isn't

surprised at Willson's statement.

''People in the Northeast have a very low tolerance for bugs,'' Nemec said.

He sells some products that don't harm wildlife, including Milky Spore, a

grub-killing product that transmits a disease to the worm-like creatures.

''It's expensive, but you understand that once you know how they get it,''

Nemec said. ''They have to breed diseased bugs then crush them.''

People also overuse certain products, Nemec said. He recalled a recent

conversation with a man he'd told to only use a few tablespoons of a certain

fertilizer

''He admitted he used almost half a cup,'' Nemec said. ''Sure, it looked

real green until it turned brown and died.''

Stone said some of the birds he examines around the state were deliberately

poisoned.

''People poison ducks and geese because they don't want them around,'' Stone

said. ''People poison pigeons.''

Others were killed by chemicals used long ago.

''Things like DDT stay around even if they were last used a generation

ago,'' Stone said.

Albany County has had five birds test positive for the West Nile virus this

year. Birds that tested positive have also been found in Rockland County

near New York City and in Nassau County on Long Island.

West Nile can be fatal to humans, especially to those older than 50. It's

transmitted by mosquito bites to both birds and humans. This makes bird

carcasses, especially those from blue jays and crows, a good indication that

the virus is present in any given area. Health officials advise people to

eliminate mosquito breeding areas like old tires, buckets and clogged

gutters and to fix window screens.

©The Saratogian 2002