Rw. Watkins et al., EVALUATION OF CINNAMAMIDE AS AN AVIAN REPELLENT - DETERMINATION OF A DOSE-RESPONSE CURVE, Pesticide science, 44(4), 1995, pp. 335-340
The dose-response curve was quantified for the avian repellency of cin
namamide, a derivative of the plant secondary compound cinnamic acid,
using a three-day, 'short-term no-choice' test. This test was designed
to resemble more closely the availability of alternative food in the
birds' natural environment than in previous no-choice studies. Cinnama
mide reduced food consumption by feral pigeons (Columba livia Gmelin)
at concentrations as low as 6.17 mu mole g(-1) food (0.09% w/w) and th
is reduction increased with concentration. An R(50) index, the concent
ration at which food consumption was reduced by 50% was interpolated f
rom the dose-response curve as 18.4 (+/- 0.38) mu mole g(-1) food (0.2
6% w/w). This index can now be matched with those of related compounds
in future structure-activity studies. The birds' response to cinnamam
ide changed over the three-day trial with respect to concentration. Re
pellency declined at concentrations < R(50) and increased at concentra
tions > R(50). This suggests that pigeons become habituated to cinnama
mide at low concentrations but at high concentrations they may develop
a conditioned aversion. This study provides quantitative confirmation
of previous laboratory and field demonstrations of cinnamamide's effe
ctiveness as a non-lethal chemical repellent suitable for reducing avi
an pest damage.