A new study links a class of agricultural insecticides called neonicotinoids with a fall in bird populations. Ominously, these same chemicals are the prime suspect behind the collapse of bee colonies throughout the world.
The insecticides are sprayed on food crops to kill pests, but they also leach into water and soil where a wider range of insects are affected. In some types of soils, neonicotinoids can persist for two to three years and accumulate to levels that represent a real risk to bird populations, the researchers said.
Chemical manufacturers rejects the findings, saying the study hasn’t proved a “causal link” joining the use of the pesticide and a decline in bird populations. Amid the controversy, the European Union has mandated a 2-year moratorium on the use of neonicotinoids on flowering crop varieties.
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