Poison blamed for dead and dying birds

The Kerikeri Basin is still home to plenty of dumped poultry after last week's poisoning. Photo / Peter de Graaf

More than a dozen hens and roosters, and an unknown number of sparrows, that died in the Kerikeri Basin Recreation Reserve last week are believed to have been poisoned.

The birds were discovered dead and dying on Wednesday morning, DOC Pewhairangi/Bay of Islands operations manager Bronwyn Bauer-Hunt saying the feral roosters and chickens were an unwanted nuisance, but the department was concerned about the unauthorised use of toxins on public conservation land.

"We suspect that a widely available bird toxin may have been used, and tests may confirm this in the next few weeks,'' she said.

The dead birds had been removed, and the risk to people and pets was believed to be negligible.

Illegally dumped poultry is a long-running problem at the Kerikeri Basin, and at many other reserves and roadsides around Northland. Bauer-Hunt estimated the Basin's feral chicken and rooster population at about 100, most of which had been released by members of the public.

They were a significant public nuisance, and put visitors at risk of diseases such as salmonella by fouling picnic tables. They also created a lot of early morning noise, and damaged neighbouring gardens.

''Some roosters are aggressively intimidating small children, and fights between roosters leave some birds injured. Rats are also likely to be attracted to the food well-meaning members of the public are giving the birds,'' she said.

She urged chicken owners to take responsibility for their unwanted poultry and not dump them in public places, an offence under the Reserves Act that could attract a maximum penalty of two years' jail or a fine of $100,000.

Meanwhile poisoning incidents in Auckland in recent months have led to calls for tighter controls on poison. The substance used in Auckland was commercially available, made with wheat and alphachloralose, which can be bought over the counter, but misuse may be an offence under the Animal Welfare Act, with a maximum penalty of 12 months' jail or a $50,000 fine.

In low concentrations alphachloralose anaesthetises birds rather than killing them. Comatose birds can be collected and disposed of humanely, while non-target species can be revived by placing them in a warm place. At higher concentrations the poison causes hypothermia and death.