Birds
Because American Robins are active invertebrate feeders on farms and lawns, they are susceptible to many of the chemicals landowners may apply, including neonicotinoids.
Neonics fool the neuron and lock it into the “on” position, causing it to fire continuously. Affected organisms (birds,bees, butterflies, and pests alike) then experience convulsions, organ failure, and death. Birds may thrash, vomit, become confused, or lose the ability to fly and hide. If the
effects do wear off, it can take as long as 11 days. Male birds, may not produce sperm. Female birds, may produce fewer eggs.
The Connecticut Audubon Society’s 2024 Connecticut State of the Birds ‘The Next Conservation Frontier: Protecting Birds from Insecticides’ report paints a sobering picture of the dangers of neonics now in use on an unprecedented scale. Highlights include:
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Neonics kill insects, which are crucial food sources for birds, especially during the breeding season.
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Birds can be directly poisoned by eating neonic coated seeds, with a single corn kernel containing a lethal dose for a songbird.
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Even low levels of neonic exposure can harm birds, affecting their immune systems, fertility, navigation, and causing weight loss during migration.
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Research has linked neonics to significant declines in bird populations, particularly among insect-eating species like aerial insectivores and grassland birds.
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One pair of chickadees raising babies in spring needs 6,000 to 9,000 caterpillars. Neonics kill caterpillars.
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The report highlights bird species in Connecticut that are particularly vulnerable to neonics: Eastern Bluebirds, American Robins, Bobolinks, Chimney Swifts, Barn Swallows, and Red-winged Blackbirds.
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The most commonly used form of neonics across the country is in seed treatments: seed coatings applied to many major crops which act as an insurance measure against early season pests. The seed coatings were initially thought to be repellent; however, field studies show birds and mammals alike flock to piles of spilled seed on farms, meaning that animals may load up on seeds when available in large amounts.
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Because 95% of the seed coating sloughs off into the soil and leaches into groundwater, rivers, lakes, and streams, water pollution has led to a collapse of local non-pest insects driving the decline in bird species.