AVIS-IBIS

Birds of Indian Subcontinent

Responses of Captive Fish Crows to Eggs Treated with Chemical Repellents

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:1994
Authors:Avery, ML, Decker, DG
Journal:The Journal of Wildlife Management
Volume:58
Issue:2
Date Published:1994
ISBN Number:0022541X
Keywords:Corvidae, Corvus, Corvus corone, Corvus ossifragus, Coturnix, Coturnix coturnix, Coturnix japonica, Phasianidae
Abstract:Eggs of many bird species are subject to predation by corvids. To evaluate whether predation might be reduced through food avoidance learning, we offered Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) eggs treated with various repellent chemicals to captive fish crows (Corvus ossifragus). Topically applied methyl anthranilate (100 mg/egg), alone and in combination with injected methiocarb (18 mg/egg), effectively reduced (P = 0.015) egg eating by crows. Crows that received topical methyl anthranilate alone, however, lost their avoidance response when untreated eggs were offered. Egg eating was not reduced (P > 0.05) by 18 mg/egg injections of carbachol (carbamylcholine chloride) or methiocarb, or by a combined methiocarb (18 mg/egg) and methyl anthranilate (100 mg/egg) injection. Crows exposed to eggs injected with elevated levels of carbachol (40 mg/egg) or methiocarb (30 mg/egg) ate more eggs (P = 0.046) than did crows that received topical methyl anthranilate treatments. Injected eggs might be more suitable for field use, however, because they are difficult to distinguish from untreated eggs and they are easier to prepare. The persistence displayed by some crows during their 5-day exposure to treated eggs suggests that successful application of repellent egg treatments will require an extended period of training for target predators to acquire an avoidance response.
URL:http://www.jstor.org/stable/3809389
Short Title:The Journal of Wildlife Management
Taxonomic name: 
Corvidae (Birds), Corvus (Birds), Corvus corone (Birds), Corvus Corone (Birds), Coturnix (Birds), Coturnix coturnix (Birds), Coturnix japonica (Birds), Phasianidae (Birds)
Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith