Birds killed in suspected population control program

The deaths of perhaps hundreds of starlings reported found in Cape Girardeau Monday morning reportedly resulted from a population control project being run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Cape Girardeau County Health Department received calls about the birds Monday morning.

Large numbers were reported found in the area of Ranchito and near Universal Health and Fitness on Mount Auburn Road.

Aaron Baughn, an animal control officer for the city of Cape Girardeau, said the birds ate poison at a baited feed lot in Cape Girardeau County last week.

He said recent freezing temperatures contributed to the high mortality. Most of the birds died on Friday but were hidden by snow until Monday, when temperatures in the 40s melted more of the snow.

Baughn said the dead birds do not pose a danger to pets that might consume one. He said the birds can be disposed of by putting them in the trash.

Concern over West Nile

Callers to the county health department were concerned that the dead birds might be signs of an outbreak of West Nile virus, but that is not the case.

Nancy Foor, environmental public health specialist for the department, said the recent freezing weather has killed any mosquitoes that could harbor the virus.

Baughn said the birds are being found dead in groups of 10 or 15.

A nationwide degradation order has been placed on starlings and a number of other birds because of the crop damage they cause, he said. Starlings primarily damage grain crops.

The animal control officer said starlings are the source of a huge number of complaints in Cape Girardeau because of the amount of noise and the mess their feces makes. "But they're not a huge health hazard," he said.

A spokesman with the state Department of Agriculture Wildlife Service in Portageville, Mo., said he could not comment about the project without the approval of a supervisor.

sblackwell@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182