[cobirds] Interesting discussion of death of Finches in Ft. Collins

Ann Molson suggested a possible cause of the death of Finches was the community wide spraying of insecticides.  Dave Leatherman dismissed insecticides as a cause based on the type of spraying.  I would be cautious about dismissing insecticides as the cause.  I have never known  City Officials/ Companies that provide the spray to ever admit that their widespread spraying of insecticides will kill anything other than the target- mosquitos, but scientific studies have shown otherwise. The sudden death of small birds after spraying points more to poisoning than disease.  Correlation never proves cause but certainly points a finger in the direction of the spraying. We do know that the spraying of insecticides will kill all other insects including bees & butterflies as well as small birds.  It is also unlikely that the birds were killed by West Nile because historically that disease has largely affected Corvidae species such as Jays & Crows.

 

Cindy Valentine

Castle Rock, Douglas County