Cooperator: Pedro G. Aguilar F.
Country: Peru

 Vertebrate pests in Peruvian agriculture

 Based on available information, the authors report on vertebrates
 .(both pest and beneficial species) which are deemed of significant
 importance to Peruvian agriculture. Special emphasis is given to
 birds and rodents in different Peruvian zones. Passeriform birds of
 the families Fringillidae (genera Sporophila, Phrygilus, Zonotrichia,
 and Saltator), Mimidae (Mimus longicaudatus), and Turidae (Turdus
 chiguanco) are those of the highest economic importance as pests. In
 some cases, damage evaluations have exceeded 30 percent. Tinamiformes
 (Nothoprocta), Columbiformes (Columba, Zenaida, Zenaidura, Columbi-
 gallina spp.) and Psittaciformes (Aratinga, Pionus, Psilopsiagon spp.)
 also cause significant losses.

 The cosmopolitan rodents of the family Muridae (Rattus and Mus spp.)
 and cricetid rodents (Oryzomys, Akodon, Phyllotis, Rhipidomys,
 Andimonys, and Punomys spp.) are the major mammal pests in Peruvian
 agriculture. In certain agricultural products, losses in excess of 50
 percent have been documented.

 Corn, wheat, barley, rice, sorghum, and fruits are the major crops
 affected.

 Attempts to control crop depredations by birds generally consist of
 trying to frighten them out of fields by means of birdchasers and
 noise makers. Warfarin, sodium fluoroacetate, fumigants, and fire are
 the principal rodent control methods employed.

 Some marsupials, chiropterans, carnivores, and cervids may become
 economically significant as agricultural pests under certain circum-
 stances in specific areas of the country.

 3 This summary adapted from: Aguilar, P. G., 0. D. Biengolea, A. J.
 Brack, and I. Ceballos. 1977. Vertebrados importantes en la agri-
 cultura Peruana. Rev. Per. Ent.: Homenaje a la Universidad Nacional
 Agraria 20(1):25-32. Note: Although very general in nature, this
 review of vertebrates important to agriculture is one of the most
 comprehensive we have encountered and is illustrative of the increas-
 ing interest in vertebrate damage to agriculture in developing coun-
 tries. The authors are, respectively: Biologist and Professor of
 Zoology, National Agrarian University, La Molina; Agronomist and Ento-
 mologist, Ministry of Nutrition, Lima; Zoologist, Ministry of Agri-
 culture, Lima; and Biologist and Professor Emeritus (Zoology), San
Antonio Abad University, Cusco.


106