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You are here: NPIC Home Page —> Pesticides and the Environment —> Wildlife and Pesticides —> Protecting Wildlife from Pesticides

Protecting Wildlife from Pesticides

Many people enjoy watching animals visit their property and want to protect their local wildlife. Pesticides can be great tools for controlling pests like weeds, insects and rodents, but they can also harm wildlife if they are used carelessly or improperly. You can reduce the risk of harm to wildlife while using pesticides by choosing to practice integrated pest management (IPM). Your county extension agent may be able to help you learn about IPM tactics for controlling pests around your home.

To minimize any harm to wildlife when using pesticides, keep these tips in mind:

• If you choose to use a pesticide, always read the label carefully before each use. Pay particular attention to the "Environmental Hazards" section of the label for information about protecting wildlife.
• Adopt an IPM approach, which includes non-chemical methods such as mechanical barriers, mulching, and habitat modification as well as using the least toxic products available.
• Consider what will happen to the pesticide once it is released, including how long it will last and its potential to move from the area.
• Don't apply pesticides when it is raining or about to rain. This helps to prevent the pesticide from being washed into storm drains, soils, lakes, ponds or streams.
• Minimize pesticides in water bodies by leaving untreated areas (buffer strips) along waterways and drainage areas. Sweep excess granules off sidewalks and driveways back onto lawns to keep them from being washed into storm drains.
• When possible, avoid using pesticides in areas where animals are active or raising young. For example, you can minimize hummingbird exposure by spraying flowering plants before they bloom
• Because many liquid pesticides pose the greatest risk of exposure when they are still wet, try to apply them when you are sure there will be adequate drying time before animals may encounter treated areas.
• Place items that attract wildlife such as bird feeders and baths away from areas where you regularly use pesticides.
• Birds can easily mistake granular pesticides for food. Applying granular products when birds are not active and watering the granules to dissolve them can help reduce the risk to birds.
• Rodent baits are often formulated with food like peanut butter and molasses to attract the pest. Use bait stations or place these products where wildlife cannot get to them.
• Never dispose of any pesticide in storm drains, sewer systems, or waterways. When you clean application equipment, make sure the rinse water is also disposed of properly.
• Store all pesticides properly, out of the reach of wildlife, pets and children.

If you have questions about pesticides and their risk to wildlife, or any pesticide-related topic, please call NPIC at 1-800-858-7378 (7:30am-3:30pm PST), or email us at npic@ace.orst.edu.

Additional Resources on Protecting Wildlife from Pesticides:

Protecting Wildlife

• Pesticides and Wildlife - Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service
• A Practical Guide - North Dakota State University
• Wildlife and Fruit Trees - North Carolina State University
• Reducing Risks to Wildlife - Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center
• Protecting Birds - University of Illinois Extension

Protecting the Environment

• Pesticides in Residential Areas - Protecting the Environment - Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension
• Pesticides and the Environment - Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service
• Beneficial Landscaping - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Pesticide Effects on Non-target Animals - University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service
• Protecting Non-target Animals and Plants - Center for Integrated Pest Management
• Wildlife and Pesticides - Viginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
• Homeowner's Guide to Protecting Frogs - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Protecting Water

• Our Water, Our World - Bay Area Stormwater Management Agencies Association (BASMAA)
• Our Water, Our World: Pesticides and Water Quality - Bay Area Stormwater Management Agencies Association (BASMAA)
• Pesticides and Aquatic Animals: A Guide to Reducing Impacts on Aquatic Systems - Virginia Cooperative Extension
• Managing Lawns and Gardens to Protect Water Quality - North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service
• How to Prevent Pesticide-Related Fish Kills - Clemson University Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR)
• What? Killed the Fish - Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service