Monitoring the Exposure of Barn Owls to Second-Generation Rodenticides in Southern Eire

In an extensive field study conducted over five counties in southern Eire during the winter of 1988–89, 19 Barn Owl (Tyto alba) roosts and/or nests were located. The local farmers and landowners within about a one-mile radius of the Barn Owl sites were surveyed concerning their use of rodenticides and observations of any secondary rodenticide toxicity effects. Regurgitated owl pellets were collected: (a) for dissection and prey analysis, and (b) for chemical analysis to determine residues of the second-generation rodenticides, brodifacoum, difenacoum and flocoumafen. Most farmers interviewed used rodenticide baits (73%), and almost all (92%) stated that they took precautions to protect domestic and wild non-target animals. The four rodent species, brown rat, wood mouse, house mouse and bank vole provided 83% of the Barn Owl diet, and birds contributed another 12%. At least 97% of the 89 pellets analysed contained less than the limit of determination of the three second-generation rodenticides, 0·01–0·02 mg kg−1 of each isomer. Apparent residues in the remainder were likely to be the result of interference from co-extracted material. These results indicated that during the monitoring period, none of the owls studied was exposed to significant residues of these rodenticides in their prey.