Pesticide Toxicity and Avifauna of Punjab

Use of pesticides, in modern agriculture has increased tremendously. Pesticides affect the human, environment and wildlife including birds. Three main groups of chemical synthetic pesticides are organochlorine, organophosphate and carbamate. Because of persistent nature, organochlorine are no longer in use in several countries. But some of them like aldrin, dieldrin, lindane and endosulfan are still in use in developing countries. They cause widespread population decline of raptorial birds like the peregrine falcon, the sparrow hawk and bald eagle. The well known effect of DDT in eggshell thinning of the peregrine falcon is caused by its highly persistent metabolite DDE [1,1, bis-4-chlorphenyl]-2,2 dichlorethylene]. Organophosphate and carbamate insecticides do not bioaccumulate in the food chains and are less persistent. They have replaced the more persistent organochlorines. This communication elaborates the effect of synthetic chemical pesticides on birds along with a note on policy framework on use of pesticides.