[va-richmond-general] Bird Deaths

  • From: "Al Warfield" <warfield101@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "audubon listserve" <va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Wed, 9 Jan 2008 12:50:45 -0500

On Tuesday I received a phone call from Michael Elliott from the VA Office of 
Pesticide Services. He said he was investigating several reports from people in 
the Ruther Glenn/Beaverdam area (i.e., north of Ashland) that entailed large 
numbers of birds found dead. It was mostly grackles and starlings, plus a few 
Blue Jays and robins, and the groups were at least 5 miles apart from each 
other. Michael retrieved a few of them and cut them open, finding corn, which 
is he would expect this time of year since corn is being harvested now. He 
checked with a veterinarian at DGIF who hadn't heard of the problem, and who 
said that West Nile and other diseases that would cause this are not normally 
prevalent this time of year. He is running tests to determine whether any known 
chemicals are present that would cause this result. Also, Michael asked me to 
see if anyone else had seen this type of problem. 
If you have seen any kills of large numbers of birds please either post it on 
this listserv or send an e-mail to warfield101@xxxxxxxxxxxx Please note the 
date/time and specific location plus any other particulars. If you just see 
large flocks, you don't need to send a post unless a lot of dead birds are 
found (or unless you just want to report the large flock). Large flocks are 
migrating through the area right now, even in Richmond.

Thanks,

Al Warfield

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