Pesticide Residue Anlysis in Excreta of Spotted Owlet Athene Brama and Barn Owl Tyto Alba

Abstract

The continuous use of pesticides to improve agriculture has not only affected the crop but also altered the food chain and worst affected the non-target organisms. Birds utilizing agricultural landscapes for feeding get exposed to these chemicals through ingestion of sprayed soils, treated granules or seeds and prey items. Raptors like owls are the most likely victims of pesticide exposure as they are at the top level of food chain. In present study, excreta samples of barn owl and spotted owlet were collected from three locations and tested for presence of pesticide residues using gas chromatography. The organophosphate residues of dichlorvos, monocrotophos, phorate, malathion, quinalphos, profenophos, ethion were not reported in excreta of both owl species but the residues of chlorpyriphos (0.037 ppm) were detected in spotted owlet samples collected from village Barnhara only. The pyrethroid residues cyhalothrin, permethrin, cypermethrin were also found to be absent or below detectable limit in samples collected from different locations. The feeding habits of birds attribute to the level of contamination in predatory birds. Although the level of chlorpyriphos residues excreted out from the body of spotted owlet does not reflect the actual level of exposure to this bird but gives an indication of their being at the risk of exposure in the environment.