It’s not just the bees, it’s the birds

Research out of the Netherlands, to be published tomorrow (7.10.2014) in the prestigious journal Nature, demonstrates a strong correlation between the  decline of insect-eating bird species and presence of neonics in the environment.  Comparable declines in bird species did not take place in the same areas before neonics were used, nor does it take place today even on farmland where bird habitat is undermined but neonic contamination is lower. Co-authors Caspar A. Hallmann, Ruud P. B. Foppen,Chris A. M. van Turnhout,Hans de Kroon & Eelke Jongejans speculate that neonics deplete food sources for several bird species through the sustained poisoning of non-target insects:

“Our results suggest that the impact of neonicotinoids on the natural environment is even more substantial than has recently been reported and is reminiscent of the effects of persistent insecticides in the past. Future legislation should take into account the potential cascading effects of neonicotinoids on ecosystems.”