EVALUATION OF A PELLETED BAIT CONTAINING METHYL ANTHRANILATE AS A BIRD REPELLENT

No-till agriculture involves the use of granular pesticide formulation s, chemically treated seeds, and pelleted baits. Some of these may acc identally kill birds. We have tested whether methyl anthranilate (MA), a known bird repellent, would eliminate consumption of a pelleted bai t. In two laboratory experiments and an outdoor aviary trial, cowbirds (Molothrus ater Bodd.) were presented with pellets containing pestici de and MA, pellets containing pesticide but no MA, and carrier pellets without pesticide or MA. Consumption of any formulation was low, but the addition of MA significantly decreased bait loss in the laboratory , and prevented the disappearance of bait in the outdoor trial.