Effects of Dieldrin on operant behavior of bobwhites¹

We acknowledge F. McCollough, D. Manske and R. Dryer of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, for technical guidance during residue analyses. Contribution 1175, Division of Biology, and 179, Department of Statistics, Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station. The study was financed by the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station, Kansas State University, and the National Science Foundation (Grant GB‐16010).

Abstract

Bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) were trained to peck a green lighted key to receive food. Bird response performance was monitored for 14 days, then birds were dosed with five levels of dieldrin (50 to 300 μg every other day) for 42 days while their response performance was monitored. At the end of the 42‐day dosage period,‐ mean brain concentrations of dieldrin ranged from 2.6 ppm to 11.8 ppm; lower concentrations associated with lower dosage levels. All dieldrin dosage levels altered cage behavior of bob‐whites, dieldrin dosage levels greater than 100 yg resulted in slower and less accurate responses by dosed birds during the 42‐day trial period.

Key words:

• Bobwhite behavior
• dieldrin
• chlorinated hydrocarbons
• unexpected mortality

Notes

We acknowledge F. McCollough, D. Manske and R. Dryer of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, for technical guidance during residue analyses. Contribution 1175, Division of Biology, and 179, Department of Statistics, Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station. The study was financed by the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station, Kansas State University, and the National Science Foundation (Grant GB‐16010).

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