Today the Government has set out plans to end the use of toxic neonicotinoid pesticides, given their impact on pollinators. This includes identifying legislative options that would legally prevent the future use of three specific neonicotinoids – clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam.

SongBird Survival has welcomed this decision and highlighted the threat of neonicotinoid pesticides to songbirds due to insect shortages, but also toxic seed coatings. 

Susan Morgan, Chief Executive, SongBird Survival said: 'In the midst of a crisis for British songbirds, we welcome the government taking forward plans to ban the use of toxic neonicotinoid pesticides. Not only do these pesticides reduce crucial natural food sources for birds, there is also growing evidence they directly poison songbirds. Our research with the University of Sussex found the chaffinch, through eating pesticide coated grains, could consume nearly four times the amount of a lethal dose of imidaclopridin a day”.

SongBird Survival is undertaking research with the University of Sussex to understand pesticide use and how it may affect our UK songbird species. The use of pesticides and fertilisers has become a staple in the agricultural landscape and has allowed food production to increase as populations have grown, but the impact of these harsh chemicals is not fully understood.

Research has found that the use neonicotinoid insecticides, such as imidacloprid, clothianidin and thiamethoxam, represent the highest risk for grain eating songbirds. Large quantities of treated seeds are left available for wildlife to consume after sowing. 

The chaffinch was found to be most likely to receive a harmful dose of pesticide from seed treated grain and could consume 63% of LD50 (the median lethal dose that would kill 50% of animals tested) of imidacloprid in a single feeding bout, and 370% in a day.

Feral pigeon, robin, woodpigeon, and woodlark were also seen to be eating the coated seeds and could come to some harm if seeds treated with these other pesticides are consumed as readily as those treated with fludioxonil.

The research project with the University of Sussex continues to look into this important issue, including considering  the impact of pet flea treatments containing neonicotinoids too, with scientists examining the impact of treatment covered pet hair being used in bird nests.

‍