Human encroachment is the leading cause of death among Ontario’s at-risk birds of prey, according to a first-ever University of Guelph study.
Human encroachment is the leading cause of death among Ontario’s at-risk birds of prey, according to a first-ever University of Guelph study.
Among deceased raptors submitted to the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative over a 23-year period, a majority of the wild birds died of trauma and starvation, said pathobiology professor Nicole Nemeth.
“The most common cause of death was from trauma, which often included colliding with a vehicle or flying into stationary objects, such as buildings,” said Nemeth. “The second most common cause was emaciation, which often occurs when the landscape changes in a way that hinders them from successfully hunting and finding shelter.”
This was the first study to examine the most common causes of death in raptors in Ontario.
Read more at University of Guelph
Photo Credit: skeeze via Pixabay
