Social, Economic, and Health Implications

USACERL TECHNICAL REPORT N-90/03 December 1989 US Army Corps FISH & WILDLIFE of Engineers REFERENCE LIBRARY Construction Engineering Research Laboratory Birds in Human Modified Environments and Bird Damage Control: Social, Economic, and Health Implications by Anthony J. Krzysik This report provides a perspective of birds in society and science, provides a descriptive survey of conflicts, problems and economic losses that birds have caused humans, examines potential health and disease risks from birds, Identifies the state-of-the-art technologies and methodologies in bird management and control, and provides an extensive and diverse bibliography. Bird problems are related to one or more of the following categories: (1) damages and economic losses, (2) human health and safety, (3) aesthetics, (4) inconveniences, and (5) competition with native species and brood parasitism. Pigeons, starlings, and house sparrows, all introduced from Europe, and several species of native blackbirds are responsible for most problems In the United States, Most bird management research has been directed to agricultural and feedlot depredations, winter blackblrd-starling roosts, and safety hazards to aircraft. Urban bird management strategies have not been adequately researched. Large-scale control measures include habitat modifications, frightening devices, repellents, and wetting agents. Small-scale or local controls include exclusion, toxic baits or perches, live- trapping, frightening devices, and repellents. All of these controls are thoroughly discussed and appraised in this report. Bird control is a very sensitive public and political Issue. The social, scientific, and economic importance of birds must be understood, considered, and realistically appraised whenever a bird management program is planned, developed, and Implemented. In any bird control program, all potential environmental concerns or ecological impacts should be thoroughly assessed by qualified personnel, especially when toxins or other chemical compounds are used. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. The contents of this report are not to be used for advertising, publication, or promotional purposes. Citation of trade names does not constitute an official endorsement or approval of the use of such commercial products. The findings of this report are not to be construed as an official Depart- ment of the Army position, unless so designated by other authorized documents. DESTROY THIS REPORT WHEN IT IS NO LONGER NEEDED DO NOT RETURN IT TO THE ORIGINATOR USER EVALUATION OF REPORT REFERENCE: USACERL TR N-90/03, Birds in Hwnan Modified Environments and Bird Damage Control: Social, Economic, and Health Implications Please take a few minutes to answer the questions below, tear out this sheet, and return it to USACERL. As user of this report, your customer comments will provide USACERL with information essential for improving future reports. 1. Does this satisfy report a need? (Comment on purpose, related project, or other area of interest for which report will be used.) 2. How, specifically, is the report being used? (Information source, design data or procedure, management procedure, source of ideas, etc.) 3. Has the information in this report led to any quantitative savings as far as manhours/contract dollars saved, operating costs avoided, efficiencies achieved, etc.? If so, please elaborate. 4. What is your evaluation of this report in the following areas? a. Presentation: b. Completeness: c. Easy to Understand: d. Easy to Implement: e. Adequate Reference Material: f. Relates to Area of Interest: g. Did the report meet your expectations? h. Does the report raise unanswered questions? 1. General Comments. (Indicate what you think should be changed to make this report and future reports of this type more responsive to your needs, more usable, improve readability, etc.) 5. If you would like to be contacted by the personnel who prepared this report to raise specific questions or discuss the topic, please fill in the following information. Name: Telephone Number: Organization Address: 6. Please mail the completed form to: Department of the Army CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING RESEARCH LABORATORY ATTN: CECER-IMT P.O. Box 4005 Champaign, IL 61824-4005 UNCLASSIFIED SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF TH15 PAGE F2p017For"0 Approved REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE C) ffa IV. 0704-0 788 Date fu,I30, f986 la REPORT SECURITY CLASSIFICATION lb RESTRICTIVE MARKINGS UNCLASSIFIED 2a SECURITY CLASSIFICATION AUTHORITY 3 DISTRIBUTIONIAVAILABILITY OF REPORT Approved 2b DECLASSIFICATION/DOWNGRADING SCHEDULE for public release; distribution is unlimited. 4 PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER(S) 5 MONITORING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBERS) USACERL TR N-90/03 Ea NAME OF PERFORMING ORGANIZATION 16b OFFICE SYMBOL 7a NAME OF MONITORING ORGANIZATION U.S. Army Construction I (if applicable) Engr Research Laboratory CECER-EM 6c. ADDRESS (City, State, and ZIP Code) 7b ADDRESS (City, State, and ZIP Code) P.O. Box 4005 Champaign, IL 61824-4005 NUMBER Ea NAME OF FUNDING/ SPONSORING I Bb OFFICE SYMBOL 9 PROCUREMENT INSTRUMENT IDENTIFICATION ORGANIZATION (if applicable) Civil Works Research Unit 32333, "Controlof HQUSACE Roosting Birds and Bird Waste" 8c. ADDRESS (City, State, and ZIP Code) 10, SOURCE OF FUNDING NUMBERS 20 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W. PROGRAM PROJECT TASK WORK UNIT NO. NO NO ACCESSION NO Washington, DC 20314-1000 ELEMENT 11 TITLE (include Security Classification) Birds in Human Modified Environments and Bird Damage Control: Social, Economic, and Health Implications (U) 12 PERSONAL AUTHOR(S) Antho Krzysik, J. PAGE COUNT 13a TYPE OF REPORT I l3b TIME COVERED 14 DATE OF REPORT (Year, Mon7nT 192 Final FROM To- 1989. December 16 SUPPLEMENTARY NOTATION ___ Copies are available from the National Technical Information Service, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA ??161- if identify by block number) 1 7 COSATICCOES 18 SUBJECT TERMS (Continue on reverse netessary and FIELD GROUP SUB-GROUP Birds 06 itro n6 o6 19 ABSTRACT (Continue on reverse if necessary and identify by block number) This report provides a perspective of birds in society and science, provides a descriptive survey of conflicts, problems, and economic losses that birds have caused humans, examines potential health and disease risks from birds, identifies the state-of- the-art technologies and methodologies in bird management and control, and provides an extensive and diverse bibliography. Bird problems are related to one or more of the following categories: (1) damages and economic losses, (2) human health and safety, (3) aesthetics, (4) inconveniences, and (5) competition with native species and brood parasitism. Pigeons, starlings, and house sparrows, all introduced from Europe, and several species of native blackbirds are responsible for most problems in the United States. Most bird management research has (Conti I CLASSIFICATION 20 DISTRIBUTION j AVAILABIL TY OF ABSTRACT 21 ABSTRACT SECURITY ED El UNCLASSIFIEDILINLIM)TED SAME AS PAT El CTIC USERS UNCLASSIFIED 1 OFFICE SYMBOL 22a NAME OF RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL 1(217)373-722322b TELEPHONE (include Area Code) 22c Diane P. Mann CEC R-TM 83 APR DO FORM 1473, 84 MAR edition may be used until exhausted SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF THIS PACE All other editions are obsolete UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED BLOCK 19. (Cont'd) been directed to agricultural and feedlot depredations winter blackbird-starling roosts, and safety hazards to aircraft. Urban bird management strategies have not been adequately researched. Large-scale control measures include habitat modifications, frightening devices, repellents, and wetting agents. Small-scale or local controls include exclusions toxic baits or perches, live-trapping, frightening devices, and repellents. All of these controls are thoroughly discussed and appraised in this report. Bird is control a very sensitive public and political issue. The social, scientific, and economic importance birds, of and their public attention and popularity must be thoroughly understood, considered, and realistically appraised whenever a bird management program is planned, In developed, and implemented. any bird control all potential environmental program, concerns or ecological impacts should be thoroughly assessed by qualified personnel, especially when toxins or other chemical compounds are used. Birds represent a potential, although low, health or disease risk for humans. Most avian pathogens or parasites only affect other birds and host specificity is often high. Pets, poultry, game species, and aviary specimens have been affected in epidemics. The most important human diseases associated with birds in the United States are histo- plasmosis, encephalitis, chlamydiosis (parrot fever), and cryptococcosis. UNCLASSIFIED FOREWORD The study reported here was authorized by Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (HQUSACE), under Civil Works Research Work Unit 32333, "Control of Roosting Birds and Bird Waste," for which Dr. Anthony J. Krzysik is Principal Investigator. Funds for this work were provided through the Repair, Evaluation, Mainte- nance, and Rehabilitation (REMR) Research Program, Research Area, "Miscellaneous Maintenance and Repair of Hydraulic Structures and Equipment." This report is an expanded and updated version of REMR Technical Report REMR- EM-1/ADA190195, September 1987 (Krzysik, 1987a). The REMR report was directed primarily to Civil Works projects. The present report includes numerous additional references and discusses in more detail several aspects

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