The chronic toxicity of 3-chloro-4-methyl benzamine HCl to birds.

3-Chloro-4-methyl benzamine HCl (DRC-1339), an avian toxicant, was fed to five species of birds for periods up to 120 days. The 30-day LC50 of uniformly treated feed for starlings was 4.7 ppm and the 90-day LC50 was 1.0 ppm. The 28-day LC50 for coturnix was 18 ppm. The 30-day LC50 for pigeons was less than 100 ppm. Pheasants fed diets containing 2% DRC-1339 baits diluted to a rate of 286 ppm of DRC-1339 died within 22 days. Bobwhite quail fed similar diets suffered some mortality at levels as low as 2.9 ppm, but most survived 10 times this dosage level for the 120-day test period. Application of the Kenaga "Index of Chronicity", resulted in the conclusion that DRC-1339 was cumulatively toxic to birds. Reproduction in coturnix was adversely affectd by treatments at 10 ppm of DRC-1339 and above. Reproduction in pigeons was adversely affectd by a treatment of 25 ppm. In coturnix, DRC-1339 caused an increased incidence of egg breakage and decreased both egg and live chick production. In pigeons, DRC-1339 caused an increase in the proportion of infertile eggs. Reproductive ability to first generation offspring was not affected when parent coturnix and pigeons were fed DRC-1339. These data emphasize the need for care in the use of DRC-1339. The bait should be used only as registered and care exercised in storage and disposal of unused baits to avoid poisoning of nontarget species.

The chronic toxicity of methiocarb to grackles, doves, and quail and reproductive effect in quail.

Methiocarb (4-methylthio-3, 5-xylyl N-methyl carbamate, Mesurol, Bay (3744), a bird repellent, was fed in concentrations of 100 to 1,000 ppm to common grackles (Quiscalus quiscula), mourning doves (Zenaida macroura), and breeding pairs of coturnix quail (Coturnix coturnix) to investigate the possibility of cumulative intoxication. Although aversion to treated diets was readily apparent in most of the tests, the 28- to 30-day median lethal concentration (LC50) was determined to be greater than 100 ppm for grackles, 630 ppm (95% confidence limits, 480-830 ppm) for doves, and greater than 1,000 ppm for coturnix quail. Methiocarb appeared to be noncumulative when measured by an index of chronicity: birds consumed several LD50 doses during a day's feeding, and when deaths occurred, they appeared to be due to acute intoxication. Egg production and live chick production were not affected in coturnix fed 100 ppm but were reduced at 316 and 1,000 ppm.

The effects of subacute and chronic exposure to 4-aminopyridine on reproduction in coturnix quail.

When male and female coturnix quail (Coturnix coturnix) were given a single subacute oral dose (5.62 mg/kg) of the avian frightening agent 4-aminopyridine (4AP) and paired with untreated mates, there was no effect on the reproductive performance of males; egg production of females was reduced the third week after treatment but recovered during the fourth week. Chronic exposure to 31.6, 100, and 316 ppm of 4AP in the diet of mated pairs did not affect reproductive performance during or after the 4- or 6-week period the chemical was fed, but no birds fed 1,000 ppm produced live chicks after treatment began and all died within 3 weeks. The 28-day LC50 of 4AP was determined to be 447 ppm for male coturnix and 562 ppm for females. F1 progeny from quail fed 31.6, 100, and 316 ppm 4AP and randomly mated at maturity showed no reproductive effects from their parents' exposure.