Battling the black birds

By: CLAUDETTE OLIVIER
LSN Editor

Rice planting season is underway in Louisiana and in Evangeline Parish, and as farmers sow this year’s crop, they will be subject to uncertainty in rice prices, fluctuation in prices for fuel, fertilizer and equipment and a feathered foe that is the brown headed cowbird.
Because of past damage caused by blackbirds — which the brown headed cowbird is considered to be — to sprouting rice, officials with U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services, Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry and the LSU AgCenter are well into a third decade of working with local rice growers in a baiting program to control these bird populations.
Local LSU AgCenter Extension Agent Jeremy Hebert said, “Many farmers started (planting rice) this week (Feb. 27) due to the dry weather and the sunny conditions. The LSU AgCenter’s recommendations are for farmers to begin planting March 10, however, the warmer temperatures and sunshine made it favorable that many started early. Rice was planted as early as Tuesday of last week to my knowledge.”
He continued, “I came down from Alexandria today (March 2) and drove down (La. Hwy. 13) and there seems to be a lot of rice planted down 13 right now. If we miss, or get little rain tonight, there will be a lot of rice planted next week. Hopefully the weather stays favorable as this will allow the majority of the crop to get in earlier than normal.”
The program began in the mid-1990s and originally only included Vermilion and Evangeline parishes. Today the program is also available in Acadia, Allen, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jeff Davis and St. Landry parishes.
Each planting season, the baiting program begins about mid-February and runs to about the end of March, depending on the number of birds present in the area.
Tanya Espinosa, Public Affairs Specialist Legislative and Public Affairs with the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, said “The project was started because farmers were dealing with major damage to newly planted rice from blackbirds and other birds. The project is intended to prevent wildlife damage to newly planted rice.”
Espinosa said the number of farmers that participate in the program varies from year to year depending on bird movements and roost locations, but when work is conducted on one farm, it benefits all farmers in the immediate area.
“Farmers located near bird roosts suffer the most losses,” Espinosa said. “The roost locations vary some from year to year with most of them being deep in the marsh or other swampy areas of southwest Louisiana.”
Espinosa said that while cowbirds are native to the United States, they are not necessarily native to Louisiana, and the birds are known as a brood parasite, meaning they will destroy existing eggs in other species’ nests, lay their eggs in the nest and rely on other species of birds to raise their young.
In the program, a product called DRC 1339, a slow-acting avicide that is registered with the Environmental Protection Agency for the control of several species of pest birds, including the brown headed cowbird, is used to help control the blackbird population. The bait is applied under the supervision of USDA/Wildlife Service’s personnel trained in pest bird management procedures. Although the dead birds do not present a significant hazard to humans or pets, officials recommend that the birds be buried and no blackbirds be used for human consumption.
“Though we are seeing fewer birds damaging rice fields than in the past, the program is still beneficial to farmers with fields being damaged by birds,” Espinosa said. “Programs such as this allow farmers to reduce the amount spent on replanting fields and allow for successful crops.”
Those interested in participating in the program can call APHIS Wildlife Services at 1-866-487-3297 or the LSU AgCenter at (337) 788-8821.