For Avitrol, what percentage of birds should accept the untreated bait to consider successful prebaiting?

• A. 20%
• B. 40%
• C. 60%
• D. 80%

Answer: (B)

Prebaiting is about conditioning birds to accept bait before you use the treated product. The idea is to get enough of the local birds to feed on bait that doesn’t contain the pesticide so that, when the treated bait is offered, a similar (and sufficient) portion will consume it as well.

The standard to consider prebaiting successful is that about forty percent of the observed birds should be feeding on the untreated bait. Hitting this level indicates there’s a good likelihood that a meaningful portion of the population will take the treated bait when it’s available, which helps achieve effective control. If far fewer than forty percent feed, the prebaiting isn’t sufficient and the subsequent treatment may underperform. If around or above forty percent, it suggests strong bait acceptance and a better chance of success.

In practice, this acceptance is assessed by watching bait stations over a short period and noting what fraction of the birds present are feeding on the bait.