Day, Tim D.Clapperton, B. KayPorter, Richard E.R.Waas, Joseph R.Matthews, Lindsay R.2012-01-262012-01-262011Day, T.D., Clapperton, B.K., Porter, R.E.R., Waas, J.R. & Matthews, L.R. (2011). Responses of free-ranging house sparrows to feed containing primary and secondary repellents. New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, available online 11 November 2011.https://hdl.handle.net/10289/5986We recorded the responses of free-ranging house sparrows (Passer domesticus) to various concentrations of primary repellents and a secondary repellent. Wheat treated with either lime or neem oil was consumed by sparrows at the same rate over 24 hours as plain wheat at all doses. d-pulegone significantly reduced wheat consumption from day 1 onwards throughout the 4 days. Avex™ (containing the secondary repellent anthraquinone) did not significantly reduce wheat consumption on day 1 of exposure, but sparrows ate progressively less repellent wheat over the following days. For both d-pulegone and Avex™, there was a negative relationship between wheat consumption and repellent concentration. In experiment 2, the highest concentrations of Avex™ + d-pulegone combined reduced daily wheat consumption significantly more than Avex™ alone and the effect lasted throughout the 10-day test. These results demonstrate the potential of primary and secondary repellents, presented alone or in combination, for modifying the feeding behaviour of sparrows.enagricultural limeanthraquinoneAvex™bird repellentd-pulegonefeeding behaviourhouse sparrowneem oilPasser domesticusJournal Article10.1080/01140671.2011.630738