Mortality of passerines adjacent to a North Carolina corn field treated with granular carbofuran.
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 micrograms/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.
Augspurger
T
T
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services, Raleigh, North Carolina 27636-3726, USA.
Smith
M R
MR
Meteyer
C U
CU
Converse
K A
KA
D000818:Animals; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D001717:Birds; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology; D002235:Carbofuran / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning*; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005766:Gastrointestinal Contents / Q000737:chemistry; D007306:Insecticides / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning*; D009657:North Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology
D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D007306:Insecticides; D002235:Carbofuran