December 20, 2022 |
Dead birds found in Rawlins over the last weekend were part of a scheduled but largely unannounced raven culling.
Rawlins residents expressed frustration in online videos and social media posts after finding dead black birds on their properties. The birds were poisoned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to reduce the population of common ravens at the landfill. A lack of communication and uncertainty over how residual toxins in the birds would affect pets prompted concerns among resident which they took to city officials.
Rawlins public information officer, Mira Miller, offered the city’s official statement.
Mike Burrell with Fish and Wildlife Service explained why the birds converging on the landfill posed a public health and safety risk.
Common ravens can carry diseases like the West Nile Virus. When a mosquito bites an infected bird, it can transmit the virus to humans. Ravens have also been known to attack livestock and other protected species, like Sage Grouse. Burrell said his agency is permitted to kill a few hundred birds each year to diminish the harm they cause.
Burrell said when a municipality finds raven populations grow too large, USDA wildlife services is used to cull the birds. Using an avicide, wildlife services officials can quickly reduce the number of ravens in a given area. Burrell said the toxin used is harmless to other animals.
The avicide, called DRC-1339, works by attacking the kidneys of pest birds, such as pigeons, crows, and ravens. According to a USDA study done at the University of Nebraska, the toxin has little to no effect on other bird species or mammals. Burrell said the specific toxin used in the raven kill-off was chosen to avoid unintended deaths in other species.
Rawlins residents said they were shocked to find groups of dead ravens in their yards. Burrell said, once the toxin begins to take effect, the birds will seek out shelter. In Rawlins, the number of shelter options is limited, causing birds to congregate in one area.
Citizens who found deceased birds on their property said they were upset the city didn’t warn them of the USDA’s intention to kill ravens at the landfill. Burrell said municipalities are responsible for calling wildlife services and requesting them to intervein when unwanted bird populations are too high. Burrell said his department typically informs multiple agencies before they administer the avicide.
It is unclear why Rawlins residents weren’t informed of the planned landfill culling before it took place.
For more information, or questions regarding disposal of the dead birds, residents are being asked to contact their local USDA wildlife services representative, Luke Spanbauer, at 307-710-1498.
