Green Jersey

USDA behind dead birds

Flying starlings via njskylands.com.

by Jennifer Weiss

There were more answers yesterday in the case of the hundreds of dead birds found on streets and yards in Somerset County.

The USDA applied a pesticide Friday at a Princeton Township livestock farm, says the Star-Ledger, to kill up to 5,000 European starlings that had been bothering the farmer. The black birds traveled a bit before they fell.

The pesticide, DRC-1339, is commonly used to fell starlings, which are considered invasive by the USDA. Apparently, because it is metabolized quickly, there is only a very small chance of secondary poisoning.

The Star-Ledger reported that state agriculture and wildlife officials were told two weeks ago of the plan, along with Somerset County officials.

Local officials and residents say they found out much later.

Colette Kiveris told the Courier News that she and her husband picked up and bagged more than 200 dead birds at their home in the Griggstown section of Franklin on Sunday, and, like their neighbors, were taken by complete surprise.

From the Ledger:

“Unfortunately, this was also done on a Friday, so the birds died on the weekend when no one was around to respond to calls. I can just imagine it would have been very disconcerting for people to find the birds dead,” said Carol Bannerman, a USDA spokeswoman.

…While the pesticide has been used in the past in densely populated New Jersey, this time the starlings moved far off the Mercer County farm where they ingested it.

“In a rural situation the birds would have concentrated in one roosting location. Apparently here, they were feeding in one location and roosting elsewhere, in areas quite dispersed and away from the farm,” Bannerman said.

She said the farmer had tried non-lethal efforts before calling the USDA.

Franklin residents should call the township today if they need help removing the birds.

This bungled operation has us squirming.

Earlier: Birds drop in Somerset County (Green Jersey)