March 16, 2007
San Francisco Chronicle
By Jane Kay

Groups debate poison use after 3 hawks die, 1 survives

The female bird, noted for its white-barred rusty breast and hunting prowess, is the only one of four hawks to survive after eating rodents that had consumed toxic bait.

Wildlife groups are publicizing the rehabilitated bird's release to pressure the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department to stand behind city claims that it uses pesticides on municipal property only as a last resort.

The groups -- Defenders of Wildlife, the American Bird Conservancy and others -- also oppose "single-use'' rodent poisons, which are so lethal that one bite immediately kills an animal. Left in the open, it can be eaten by predators such as hawks, falcons, eagles, skunks, raccoons, and even dogs and cats.

The bird found dead most recently was discovered Wednesday near the Japanese Tea Garden, according to Jamie Ray, director of San Francisco ROMP, Rescued Orphan Mammal Program. The wildlife rehabilitation program is often called to pick up or aid the poisoned animals.

"For the sake of killing a few outdoor rats, they are killing hawks, the animals that are providing us with free rodent control,'' Ray said. Three hawks and one red fox have been found dead in the park since bait boxes were put in the San Francisco Botanical Garden 15 months ago, she said.

"The rats are a huge problem for us,'' said parks department spokeswoman Rose Dennis.

There are 100 boxes in city parks around the city, all using the single-use pesticide, she said.

Phil Rossi, director of the park's pest-management program, determines placement of the boxes. He cut the number of boxes within Golden Gate Park in February when he heard of a hawk death, she said.

Thirty-six of the city's 100 bait boxes are in Golden Gate Park.

Debbie Raphael, toxics-reduction coordinator for the city's Department of the Environment, said its pest management committee in April will consider banning the chemicals' use on municipal property. Department Director Jared Blumenfeld could declare a temporary moratorium until the commission votes, she said.

Ray said the first bait boxes were placed in the San Francisco Botanical Garden in December 2005. One was put in the lathe house and one outside the nursery.

"Within the first week, the first red-tailed hawk died. Within the second week, the second red-tailed hawk died. And within the third week, a red fox was found bleeding out. That's when I was called in,'' Ray said.

Ray said she called Rossi in January 2006. He removed several boxes from the botanical garden, and the deaths stopped, Ray said.

But in January 2007, Rossi put out boxes again at the garden's nursery, Ray said.

"Within one week, this red-shouldered hawk was brought in poisoned. The hawk had been seen by a visitor sweeping down and grabbing a rodent. It was so debilitated it could hardly breathe,'' she said. She took the bird to WildCare, a San Rafael rehabilitation center, on Jan. 26.

At WildCare, Melanie Piazza, director of animal care, said lab work confirmed that the hawk had been poisoned by difethialone, a "single-use'' bait. Different formulations of single-use pesticides include brodifacoum and bromadiolone.

She and others who have cared for the bird with Vitamin K injections and feeding tubes are eager for its release.