THE EFFECTS OF AERIALLY APPLIED FENITROTHION AND CHLORPYRIFOS ON BIRDS IN THE SAVANNA OF NORTHERN SENEGAL

1. Studies of the effects of applications of locust insecticides on birds were conducted in the savannah of northern Senegal in 1989. The insecticides studied were fenitrothion at 485 and 825 g ha-1 and chlorpyrifos at 270 and 387 g ha-1. 2. Total bird numbers decreased on all treated plots. Decreases in three of the most abundant species were significant on the fenitrothion plots. Some of the decrease was due to bird mortality, but apparently most of it represented movements of birds in reaction to a reduction in their arthropod food. 3. The reduction in grasshoppers was four times greater on the fenitrothion plots than on the chlorpyrifos plots, and this difference was reflected by a decrease in the insect foods eaten by birds after the treatments.