Bird flu and lead shot

[fandango]

Just a question really

 

They have found some widgeon in various counties and a peregrine falcon... All diagnosed with bird flu, probably the peregrine caught it of a widgeon or some other waterfowl... Who knows.. This has made the news and folk have been told that they have to keep all birds indoors or secure from wild birds.

Have anybody ever heard about any widgeon or other waterfowl and raptors suffering from lead poisoning, have the media reported counties were they we're found, have defra ever told anybody not to keep domestic fowl on ground which may have been shot over with lead shot.

 

Just a thought to ponder on

[greylag]

What are you talking about.

[anser2]

Fandango there have been a lot of documented cases of lead poisoning in the wild and with captive waterfowl . I have caught quite a few tufted and pochard with lead poisoning while catching duck for ringing with lead poisoning . Without catching live birds picking up lead poisoned duck is difficult. A single lead pellet takes a week or more to kill a bird. I suspect that before it dies the duck will feel progressively ill, it will fly lower in the early stages and be one of the last birds to leave the marsh at dawn and is very likely to be shot before any symptoms start to show. Large numbers have been found in the USA , but their seasons are short and birds are likely to be picking up pellets well after the season has closed. While in the UK the seasons are much longer ( 5 1\2 months ) so sick birds are more likely to be shot. Many ask why do we not see poisoned birds around the marsh, but apart from the previous reasons dead birds have a habit of disappearing as predators clear up the bodies. A Danish researcher scattered 100 dead birds around a marsh and marked the locations. Returning a week later he only found 3. After all every years millions of wild birds die in the UK every year and yet how many do we ever find? If any one doubts lead shot poisons duck scatter a few lead pellets in the water of a few captive mallards and count how many you still have alive after a few weeks. I can tell you the answer is likely to be none.

 

Make no mistake about it lead pellets poison waterfowl.