AP quotes Drummond in report on pesticide linked to bird, bee deaths

Frank Drummond, a professor of insect ecology and insect pest management at the University of Maine, was quoted in the Associated Press article, “Pesticide criticized in bee deaths could also kill birds.” Researchers with the University of Saskatchewan studying a widely used pesticide said even small doses of the chemical can have crippling health effects on migrating birds, and it might be contributing to declines in their overall populations, according to the article. The insecticide is among a class called neonicotinoids that has been widely studied for its health effects on bees, the article states. The Saskatchewan study shows that the pesticide could be having a major effect in migratory songbirds, according to Drummond, who has studied the effects of neonicotinoids. Drummond, who was not involved in the study, said a major question remains about whether birds are getting exposed to the pesticide during their migration. The Washington Post, The New York Times, ABC News, U.S. News & World Report and The Washington Times carried the AP report.