Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference

In August 1995 the development of a new bird repellent, Flight Control containing anthraquinone, was initiated. A series of laboratory formulation testing, cage and pen studies were conducted. The anthraquinone discrimination threshold (concentration at which birds could detect the test material) for starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) was 151 ppm in treated feeds. The model revealed that to achieve 90% repellency with Flight Control, the treated material should receive 1,131 ppm of anthraquinone. Bird feed containing pesticide granules treated with 1% anthraquinone and control feed in a lab choice study, resulted in zero mortality in quail chicks (Colinus virginianus). Pen studies with American robins (Turdus migratorius) demonstrated Flight Control repelled the species when holly berries were treated with 500 ppm anthraquinone. Pen studies in Louisiana using Flight Control-treated rice seeds generated efficacy in excess of 90% to cowbirds (Molothrus ater) and red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus).