Hundreds Of Dead Birds In South Dakota Were Killed By U.S. Government

[earth mom]

When hundreds of dead birds were found Monday in Yankton, South Dakota, many residents were puzzled, thinking it was the latest in a string of similar mysterious mass animal deaths around the world. But this is one instance of the many where a clear cause has been identified, as the U.S. government claims responsibility for killing the more than 200 starlings.

It was initially believed that cold weather may have caused the bird deaths, but then Yankton police received a call from the USDA, attesting that they had poisoned the birds at a feedlot 10 miles away, KTIV reports. Apparently, some 5,000 of the birds were defecating in the feed meal, posing a threat to the animals and farm workers, when the USDA decided killing them would be the best action to take.

A bait laced with the poison DRC-1339 was used, though officials were surprised the birds made it so far before dying. They assure that the poisoned dead birds do not pose a risk to nearby animals or humans.

More:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/20/hundreds-of-dead-birds-in_n_811709.html

[ananda]

1. That is the dumbest solution I ever heard of.

Just protect the feed meal from the birds idiots.

[DrDan]

2. wonder which big corporate contributor owned that feedlot

[alphafemale]

3. What? a poisoned carcass is toxic to anything that touches or especially eats it.

Who do they think they're kidding?

[xchrom]

4. Some people who Unrec some threads just make me laugh. Nt

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Curmudgeoness]

6. I love starlings. They are one of the smarter birds around.

I find that all the "black" birds are hated for some reason, but I am not sure why. I have studied starlings and I am now much more impressed with them and their intelligence.

Besides, use of poison to kill any animals is inhumane. And so sorry that your cat died because it ate a poisoned bird. Or that hawk or owl or any predator species died because of the use of an indiscriminate eradication method.

[Evasporque]

7. Bird poop does not make quality subsidized ethanol...

If it was just going into cows to make meat fatty or ground into masa flour for corn chips or flakes....then poop no big deal...

But if it stands in the way of getting top government subsidy money....then all birds and other wildlife must die.