Secondary Poisoning of Birds – a Major Issue

There are two main types of rodenticides: anticoagulants and non-anticoagulants. Anticoagulants work by preventing blood from clotting, causing rodents to bleed internally and die. However, anticoagulants can also cause bleeding disorders in birds that consume poisoned rodents. Anticoagulants are classified into first and second generation, depending on their potency and persistence. First generation anticoagulants require multiple feedings to be lethal and are less likely to cause secondary poisoning. Second generation anticoagulants are more potent and persistent and can cause secondary poisoning with a single feeding. Second generation anticoagulants are widely used by pest controllers but they pose a serious threat to birds of prey such as owls and eagles that feed on rodents.

Non-anticoagulants have different modes of action such as disrupting calcium metabolism, nerve function or cellular respiration, causing rodents to die from organ failure. Non-anticoagulants are generally less persistent and less likely to cause secondary poisoning but they can still be harmful to birds if ingested in large amounts. Non-anticoagulants are also more selective and effective and can reduce the amount of rodenticide needed to control rodent populations.

One of the ways to reduce the impact of rodenticides on non-target species is to adopt digital pest management and IPM2.0. IPM stands for Integrated Pest Management which is a holistic approach that combines multiple methods to prevent and control pests such as sanitation, exclusion, monitoring and targeted treatment. IPM2.0 is a term coined by PestSense, a company that provides innovative digital solutions for pest management. IPM2.0 leverages smart devices, cloud platforms and data analytics to enable pest controllers and facilities managers to detect, monitor, profile, and control rodent problems in a more efficient and sustainable way.