There’s shocking new evidence of rodenticide poisoning in Australia’s nocturnal predatory birds. High concentrations of the active ingredients were found in 92% of the 60 dead birds they tested.

Use of rat poison is leading to the wide-scale poisoning of Australia’s nocturnal predatory birds, including the crowd favourite tawny frogmouth and Australia’s largest owl, the majestic powerful owl.

Anticoagulant rat poisons are effective at killing rodents, but they also accumulate in the liver and muscle tissues of predators that eat the poisoned animals.

Our new research reveals alarming levels of rat poisons in our nocturnal predatory birds.

Given the high rate of exposure to rat poisons, it is likely predator populations will decline.

The common brushtail possum, with its broad diet and penchant for living in roof cavities, is no doubt directly feasting on rat poison.

So the high level of rat poison we found in nocturnal predators is likely the tip of a poisoned iceberg.

There is a very strong likelihood you will poison more than rodents - you could be poisoning a tawny frogmouth or owl.

  • Treevan 🇦🇺@aussie.zoneOPMEnglish
    1·
    11 months ago

    https://4zzz.org.au/news/unintended-owl-poisoning

    Unintended Owl Poisoning Sunday, 27 August 2023 by Toni Pankaluic Have you ever heard scratching noises at night in your home? or come across small, dark brown droppings? Eek… now you’ve seen a rat scurrying across your roof! So, you put out some rat poison. Well, owls and other animals may be unintended victims of your poison.

    4ZZZ’s Eliot Rifkin chatted with Stefan Hattingh, an Environmental Officer about how to handle rodent eradication responsibly without killing owls.

    for a deep dive…

    Add your voice to Birdlife Australia’s open letter to Minister Murray Watt, to help get dangerous Second-generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides regulated properly in Australia. These rodenticide poisons are sold at supermarkets and you can find out just how potent they are here.

    Here’s an article on Secondary Poisoning Risks from Rodenticides. Australia has 11 owl species, owls are raptors characterised by flat faces, large forward-facing eyes, sharp talons and beaks, upright stances and often circles of feathers under their eyes. Here’s an introduction to our owls and some more info specifically on the Powerful Owl.