string(10) "expression"
Rodenticide is poison used to kill rats and mice but often ends up harming other wildlife, especially raptors (i.e., birds of prey). Birds such as Hawks and Owls are prone to rodenticide poisoning given their diets — for example, one Barn Owl can eat between 1,000 and 3,000 rodents per year!
Instead of honoring this sacred ecological relationship, humans intervene and end up unintentionally harming our Avian Relatives. Anticoagulant rodenticides are a common type of poison used to control for rodents that interrupts normal blood clotting, which can then cause internal bleeding and excessive blood loss from open wounds. As these poisons accumulate in the body, they make a raptor ill and slow-moving; normal activities like hunting and flying become harder. Exposed raptors become more susceptible to anthropogenic (or human-influenced) stressors like electrocution, entanglement with man-made materials, or vehicle and building collisions.
These poisons affect raptors across many different landscapes. They are used by both residents and professional pest control companies in urban, suburban, and even natural green-spaces like city parks. Here in San Antonio, Yanaguana, and the surrounding area, Gomez et al. (2023) found 51% of Owls that were admitted into rehabilitation for other causes, also tested positive for anticoagulant rodent poisons.
So, what can you do to help save Raptors from rodenticide poisoning?
Practice sanitation and habitat modification:
- Keep trash cans secured
- Reduce leaf litter and remove wood piles
- Clean spilled bird seed and fallen produce from gardens
- Seal cracks and holes on the exterior of your home, especially around plumbing and electrical fixtures
Alternatives to poison include:
- Traps (e.g., snap, electric, humane, etc.) *please don’t use sticky glue boards, they harm other wildlife
- Natural deterrents and repellents (e.g., cayenne pepper, cinnamon; eucalyptus, peppermint essential oils)
- Non-lethal options such as ContraPest (rodent fertility control) or safer alternatives like Rat-X (sodium chloride)
- If you need to hire a professional Pest Control company, ask about Integrated Pest Management (IPM) that uses exclusion and sanitation techniques to permanently rodent-proof your home.
For more information, email Eres Gomez at eres.gomez@utsa.edu
Google Earth map of Raptor Rodenticide Results in Texas
