Bromethalin is poisoning the parrots of Telegraph Hill, study finds

Date:  March 18, 2019

Source:  University of Georgia

Bromethalin, a common rat poison, is the agent responsible for a neurological disease that has sickened or killed birds from a popular flock of naturalized parrots that reside primarily in the Telegraph Hill area in north San Francisco, according to a new study led by the University of Georgia Infectious Diseases Laboratory and funded by Mickaboo Companion Bird Rescue.

The study, published today in PLOS ONE, caps a multi-year effort to determine the cause of the disease, which has been observed in parrots from this flock since at least 1999.

"The investigation, inspired and funded by Mickaboo, required a team of veterinarians, pathologists and researchers. It is only because the poisoned birds were feral parrots that the condition was so thoroughly investigated," said first author Fern Van Sant, whose clinic, For the Birds, in San Jose, California, provided care for many of the affected parrots. "The findings offer us an opportunity to assess the true risk of this rodenticide to pets and feral animals and to clarify the risk of potential soil and water contamination."

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Rescuers hope to release first batch of cleaned birds; mystery goo in SF Bay still unidentified

January 26, 2015News » Bay Area

Rescuers hope to release first batch of cleaned birds; mystery goo in SF Bay still unidentified By Laura Dudnick @LauraDudnick

Wildlife rescue officials hope to release the first batch of seabirds contaminated by an unknown goo in San Francisco Bay.This week, wildlife rescue officials hope to release the first batch of seabirds contaminated by an unknown goo in San Francisco Bay earlier this month, though the identity and source of the sticky substance remains a mystery.

As of Monday, 247 birds – primarily surf scoters, horned grebes, scaups and common goldeneyes – were recovering at the International Bird Rescue center in Fairfield. Another 75 died either on the way to or at the center, bringing the total number of dead birds to more than 200 regionwide.

The birds were found primarily along the coastal East Bay region, though at least two were discovered in Foster City and another in Point Richmond.

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Unknown Substance Threatens Bay Area Birds

Posted: Jan 18, 2015 4:09 AM GSTUpdated: Jan 18, 2015 4:09 AM GST

An unknown, viscous gunk has been found in more than 60 seabirds on the San Francisco Bay's eastern shores.

Rescuers and state wildlife officials said Saturday that the substance damages a bird's feather structure and ability to remain waterproof, which can cause hypothermia and death. So far, at least 60 birds have been have been found covered in the gunk and four have died.

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San Francisco to Tally Bird-Into-Window Death Toll

SAN FRANCISCO — Aug 21, 2014, 3:45 PM ET

San Francisco officials have launched a program to document the number of birds that die by crashing into windows in an effort to reduce such collisions.

The city's planning department is seeking volunteers to count the number of dead birds around their homes each week during peak migration periods, the San Francisco Chronicle reported on Wednesday (http://bit.ly/YERUjW). The participants would then log that information on a city website.

Officials say the goal is to raise awareness about the dangers windows pose to birds and get better numbers about how many birds are dying that way.

"So far, there hasn't been enough scientific data gathered on bird-window collisions in urban residential settings," said Cindy Margulis, executive director of the Golden Gate Audubon Society.

At least 100 million birds die each year in North America by striking windows, according to the American Bird Conservancy. The group says far more birds die by colliding with windows or glass buildings than by hitting wind turbines or cellphone towers.

A San Francisco ordinance passed three years ago requires new development projects to treat some windows with netting, frosted glass or similar bird deterrents. The ordinance mainly applies to new commercial buildings or large additions to existing commercial buildings if they stand in bird flight paths or are near parks or the shoreline, the Chronicle reported.

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Headless Birds Found in San Francisco Believed to be Part of an Animal Sacrifice

Here's your disturbing news of the day: Some headless birds were found near Lake Merced, wrapped in red-and-black sheets and bundled in candles and plants in what appears to be some kind of animal sacrifice.

According to KTVU, workmen stumbled upon the decapitated birds in broad daylight yesterday morning near a frontage road that crews use to work on the gully and fences near the lake.

"Extremely unusual for this to be out here -- we're not even sure what it is," Sgt. Russell Gordon told KTVU.

But over at Animal Care & Control, officers know exactly what it is.

The sheets wrapped around the Chukar partridges were also marked with symbols, leading experts on this grisly topic to believe someone was holding an animal sacrifice ceremony.

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Phil Matier: Port Of SF Workers Destroy Rare Birds’ Nest At America’s Cup Site

April 3, 2013 2:41 PM

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) – Federal fish and wildlife authorities are trying to figure out whether Port of San Francisco workers violated federal law when they destroyed a birds’ nest on a crane near Pier 80, where Oracle’s America’s Cup yacht-racing team has set up shop.

It was not just any birds’ nest; it was home to a pair of rare ospreys, which were once near extinction. They had never been seen before in San Francisco, until the nest appeared on the crane last summer.

The ospreys had been away for the winter and just last week, port workers smashed their nest. Now, federal investigators are looking into whether that might have violated the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, a federal law that makes it illegal to destroy with an “active” raptor’s nest during mating season.

Last year, the port agreed to shut down the crane to allow the birds to nest. But they were only willing to wait so long, as the crane unloads ship cargo and is also used to lift Oracle America’s Cup boats in and out of the water.

So after about six months, port workers took steps to discourage the birds from returning – they put reflectors and wires on the crane and even built a device that makes a sound to annoy the birds.

Potrero Hill naturalist Eddie Bartley spotted an osprey flying in the area recently and was convinced it was one of the two that had nested on the crane last year. But his excitement was short-lived as the next day, he saw two ospreys flying away from Pier 80. It was at that point when he saw port workers destroy the nest.

Officials with the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife said they are “looking into” the matter.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2013/04/03/phil-matier-port-of-san-francisco-investigated-over-birds-nest/

'Devil birds' moving in at Lake Merced

A gang of cantankerous flying aliens known to some avian aficionados as "devil birds" have been spotted flitting around San Francisco's Lake Merced acting like they belong.

The crow-sized creatures, which ornithologists know as great-tailed grackles, are native to Latin America and the southern United States, but the aggressive birds have recently been moving west, gobbling up the eggs of other birds and threatening to make a nuisance of themselves.

As many as six males and two females have been seen at Lake Merced, the largest concentration of the species ever recorded in San Francisco, according to the experts.

"They are often vilified as devil birds," said David Cruz, a local photographer and founder of Natures Lantern, a local nature photo and video sharing site. "It is a unique bird that many San Francisco residents have yet to see."

The birds, known scientifically as Quiscalus mexicanus, have in recent decades expanded their range from Texas and parts south of there to Northern California, most likely because of human-caused changes in their habitat. The first sighting in California was along the Colorado River in 1964. The birds have since colonized much of urban Southern California and parts of the San Joaquin Valley.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/Devil-birds-moving-in-at-Lake-Merced-4065870.php#ixzz2DK6TziSO

Raptors Grab a Breather at San Francisco's Hawk Hill

In autumn, hawks and other birds of prey heading south for the winter funnel through Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands north of San Francisco.

At 920 feet (280 meters) in elevation, the mountainous site, home of the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory (GGRO), is the perfect launching point for crossing the windy Golden Gate and San Francisco Bay. At one time, scientists believed the raptors resting at Hawk Hill were afraid of crossing open water, said Allen Fish, director of the GGRO. Now, Fish thinks the birds may be testing the area's tricky wind patterns and figuring out the easiest path.

"I've seen turkey vultures go directly over Golden Gate Bridge and ospreys fly out over the edge of the water," Fish told Our AmazingPlanet. "There are 19 different species, each with their own flying abilities," he said.

Continued:  http://www.livescience.com/24126-raptor-migration-hawk-hill.html

Seagull steals camera - bird's eye view

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAiFIYt9Xm4&feature=player_detailpage