Important Information Birding Stores Should Know

Are We Harming Birds?

Disclaimer:  Comments made are of my own opinion, I welcome any and all certified research proving or disproving my theories on any of these topics that pertain to ornithology testing.   Opinions are as good as another’s they are all simply opinions I would like to see true documented facts.  Our livelihood is based on the welfare of our beloved winged friends.  I welcome your comments at:  PatrickHaley@ipsenzymes.com

Written by: Patrick Haley

Products Sold for use in Birdbaths

Mosquito abatement products

Mosquito abatement products promoted for use in birdbaths.  Product having Bt or B.T.I. (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) as the active ingredient cannot and must not be used in Birdbaths even if it says on the label “For use in birdbaths.”  Read required instructions  “Do not apply directly to treated, finished drinking water reservoirs or drinking water receptacles.”  All Bt or B.T.I. under EPA ruling requires this warning.

To the layman and to manufacturers of mosquito abatement products birdbaths are just what they are “A Bath”.  For birding enthusiast’s birdbaths are not only a place where birds bathe but birds drink there as well.

E.P.A. (Environmental Protection Act) requires specific labeling on all products that are toxic.  Bt and B.T.I. also require such labeling.   Under EPA rules manufacturers labels (under Caution or under Environmental Hazard) must use this wording;  “Do not apply directly to treated, finished drinking water reservoirs or drinking water receptacles.  Do not contaminate water, food or feed by storage or disposal.”

Companies selling mosquito control products to Birding Stores do not recognize birdbaths as a place to drink but simply to bathe.   Center for Disease Control (CDC) is one of the main government bodies that conducted tests on Bt and B.T.I..  They concluded this finding:  Human digestion of Bt or B.T. I. will cause acute toxic diarrhea.  After extensive searching I find no report on testing Bt of B.T.I. on feathered vertebrates.  A minute amount of consumption of Bt or B.T.I. by a vertebrate may and will cause instant diarrhea that results in dehydration (which can cause death).

Are you selling Bt or B.T.I. for birdbaths?  

Microbial/Soy products for keeping birdbaths clean

Microbial products are harmful to the digestive system of any feathered vertebrate and or mammal.  There are primarily two different microbial bacteria. 1) Aerobic bacteria: A microorganism that requires oxygen for metabolism. Aerobic bacteria smell earthy. 2) Anaerobic bacteria: A microorganism that does not require oxygen for metabolism.  Extremely foul odor such as in septic or sewer tanks. 

Bacteria come in two distinctly different forms. 1) Pathogenic bacteria relates to the causes and development of diseases such as the flu.  Easily transmittable.  2) Non-pathogenic bacteria are not passed on. 

Any change or disruption in the digestive system of any vertebrate may cause death.  I don’t allow my dog to drink from the toilet the same reason I don’t put microbial bacteria in my birdbath.  In birdbaths the idea is to keep the birdbath bacteria free. 

Soy-Based cleaners are new to the organic industry. Soy-Based cleaners have shown promise at removing paint, ink, and dyes.  Effective at removing oils and as a paint stripper and several other industrial uses.  As mentioned above what will it or can it do to the digestive system of any vertebrate?  If it will remove varnish it can’t be good.

There are no published reports on any bacterial/soy product having been tested on feathered vertebrate.  Logic is… birdbaths are for bathing not for drinking (Birding enthusiasts know this not factual.)

Copper Sulfate Tablets

Copper Sulfate tablets come in the form of a little blue pill and are extremely harmful to any animal drinking from a birdbath.  These products are sold with the warning from the EPA “No human or animal consumption”.  Lawn & Garden and Hardware stores are the most prevalent place where these products are sold.  They have no clue as to what they are selling or how the product may affect the ecosystem of our environment.   Birdbaths are for bathing and for drinking.   

Tainted Birdseed

Pepper Birdseed

Several years ago I had a discussion with a major birding Distributor out of Canada.  This distributor will not sell any edible product for birds that contains or has been treated with pepper.  Questioning his reasoning he mentioned: After the introduction of treated birdseed into Canada the number of songbirds decreased.

Many years ago I had the opportunity to live in Nigeria Africa.  I remember getting off the plane for the first time and asking what the temperature was.  They responded that it was 40° I said “Forty?  It feels like 150.”  In the United States we measure temperature in Fahrenheit, overseas they use Celsius so the true temperature was around 104° Fahrenheit.  Also everything I ate there was spicy.  Asking why this was they responded, “The spicier flavor will allow the body temperature to feel cooler.”  Reasoning, spicy food will make your body perspire (to secrete and emit perspiration) as perspiration dries it makes your body feel cooler.  So at 104° it felt more like a hundred. 

We have all had something spicy to eat and within minutes our body starts to perspire.  This is the same effect that happens in birds.  In theory perspiration will freeze at below freezing temperatures.  Birds can’t taste, squirrels can. Logically it “made sense” to pepper the food so squirrels wouldn’t eat it.   Not understanding that the body temperature of the bird is regulated to withstand cold weather quickly raising body temperature then lowering it even a degree may result in a bird freezing to death. 

Cause and effect.

Electric Birdfeeder

Solar Powered anti squirrel feeders

The very first Bird Watch show I attended was in Portland Oregon.  I will never forget this. The booth next to me had just invented a squirrel proof birdfeeder with an electrode as the perch and a solar panel on the roof.  They had a video of an overweight squirrel jumping on the feeder then falling off and laying on its back as though it had just had a heart attack.  The show opened at 8am and at 8:02am I remember this woman walking by the booth and viewing the video.  Once the squirrel fell to the ground she say’s “This is the most inhumane product I have ever seen”.  The two inventors looked at each other and said squirrels are nothing more than just overgrown rats with fluffy tails.  These guys didn’t understand what a true environmentalist was.      

Being very inquisitive I had to ask, “How do the electrodes only zap squirrels and not birds?” They mentioned that squirrels have sweat glands on their feet, bird’s have metatarsal pads.  Knowing a little about electricity I did question further.  “Let me understand, the squirrel has damp feet because of the sweat glands so moisture on the squirrels feet allows the electric current to enter one foot and carry the current through the body to the other?”  “That’s correct”.  “What you are saying is this won’t happen to birds?” “Correct”.  I had to press further. “In the morning when there is dew on the ground the birds go from the ground to the feeder with wet feet your birdfeeder won’t zap them?”  They both looked at each other dumbfounded.  They had not thought this new invention through completely.  Dew or moisture on the feet will have the same affect, as the sweat glands on a squirrel; the bird will get electrically zapped regardless of only having metatarsal pads.

Cause and effect

What about IPS-CareFree Enzymes Product

All regulated components of an IPS-CareFree Enzyme product have been rigorously tested for human and animal safety, biodegradability and aquatic safety using the guidelines listed below:

• FDA (Food and Drug Administration) 21 CFR (176.170 & .180) (178.340 & .3910) (180.1001C&E) (181.30)
• GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) list, parts 184 and 186.
• USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) FSIS (Food Safety and Inspection Service): Regulated components can be used as ingredients in general purpose cleaners in federally inspected meat and poultry plants.
• EPA (Environmental Protection Agency): Biodegradability test 40 CFR Parts 796-3100 to 796-3360
• CWA (Clean Water Act) Non-Hazardous
• SARA (Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act) of 1986 Title III
• RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act) per 40CFR 261

How “SAFE” is an IPS-CareFree Enzyme product