Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference

There is a lack of information on bird-caused economic losses on a worldwide basis. Some estimates are available for specific problems in the United States, Canada, and parts of Oceania and Europe, but loss estimates are almost totally lacking in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. To justify development of control programs, it is desirable that reliable data on losses be obtained. Such data are helpful at all levels of decision-making about bird control, from research to implementation. Bird damage situations throughout the world are similar, involving many of the same crops and genera of birds. This report summarizes major damage problems reported for each continent in tabular form. Agricultural problems are emphasized; other examples are given including bird hazard to aircraft, predation by undesirable species, urban and rural roost problems, birds as carriers or transmitters of disease, and beneficial aspects of some species. Control methods are not reviewed.