Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference

In east Texas, bird damage to sprouting rice was reduced in two of seven study plots when rice seed was treated with the fungicide Kocide® SD at the maximum label rate (8 fluid oz/100 lb seed). Foraging rates of male redwinged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) in treated plots were lower P = 0.02) than were those in control plots. We suspect that the copper in Kocide SD produces physiological effects that suppress feeding activity that results in reduced losses in some cases. Because it is registered for use on rice and is relatively inexpensive, Kocide SD may be a useful component of some bird damage reduction strategies.