Gross and Microscopic Examination of House Finches Irradiated Continuously To determine whether continuous exposure to microwave irradiation of birds to 10 and 25 mW/cm2 causes organ damage, twelve exposed and six control birds (0 mW/cm2) initially were examined grossly at Arthur D. Little and then sent to Dr. S.W. Nielson, DVM, Ph.D. at the University of Connecticut for necropsy and histopathologic examination. An examination of the treated and control birds revealed no detectable effects in overt behavior or in selected visceral and somatic reflexes caused by microwave irradiation. Each bird was examined for changes in muscle tone, righting reflex, vestibular function, pupillary (light) reflex, and corneal and lip pain reflexes. The cornea and lens were also examined with an ophthalmoscope for evidence of opacity and retina damage, e.g., changes in color. A necropsy was performed first on the six birds continuously irradiated with microwaves at a level of 25 mW/cm2 along with six control birds. In the event pathology was observed on either gross or histopathology, the intent was to necropsy the six birds exposed to the 10 mW/cm2. The necropsy was conducted with special emphasis placed on tissues that reportedly are most sensitive to microwaves (i.e., eye, bone marrow, blood, gonads, brain, thymus, and adrenals). Since no gross or histopathology was found at the 25 mW/cm2 level, the six birds at lower dose or 10 mW/cm2 were not necropsied. In summary, these results fail to show any gross or microscopic pathology attributable to microwave irradiation of birds as might be encountered at a rectenna site at levels proposed for SPS system. Acknowledgements — This research was supported by a contract from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (No. 68-02-3278) to Arthur D. Little, Inc. and subcontracts to Boston University (No. A-11038) and Manomet Bird Observatory (No. A-11040). Although the research described in this article has been funded wholly by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, it does not necessarily reflect the views of the Agency and no official endorsement should be inferred. For help of various kinds we thank Edward Cook, Russ Smallman, and Ken Youngstrom. REFERENCES 1. C.H. Dumey, C.C. Johson, P.W. Barber, M.F. Iskander, J.L. Lords, D.K. Ryser, S.J. Allen, and J.C. Mitchell, Radiofrequency Radiation Dosimetry Handbook, Ed. 2, Report SAM-TR-78-22, Brooks Air Froce Base, Texas: USAF School of Aerospace Medicine Aerospace Medical Division (AFSC), 1978. 2. A.L. Thompson, A New Dictionary of Birds, Thomas Nelson, London, 1964. 3. E. Stresemann, Die Mauser der Vogel, J. Ornith., 107, 118-169, 1966. 4. H. Jasik, Antenna Engineering Handbook, McGraw Hill Book Company, New York, 1961. 5. L. Griscom and D.E. Snyder, The Birds of Massachusetts, Peabody Museum, Salem, MA, 1955. 6. J. Dwight, The Sequence of Plumages and Moults of the Passerine Birds of New York, Ann. New York Acad. Sci., 13, #73-360, 1900. 7. M. W. Wood, A Bird-Banders Guide to Determination of Age and Sex of Selected Species, College of Agriculture, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 1969. 8. L. Svensson, Identification guide to European passerines, Naturhistorika Riksmuseet, Stockholm, Sweden, 1970. 9. A. Salvadori and K.A. Youngstrom, A System Survey of a Bird Observatory, 1973. Part I: A Recording Form for Banding Data. Bird-Banding, 14, 10-24, 1973. 10. D.W. Snow, A Guide to Moult in British Birds, British Trust for Ornithology Field Guide No. 11, 1967. 11. P.R. Evans, Autumn Movements, Moult and Measurements of the Lesser Redpoll (Carduelis flammea cabaret), Ibis, 108, 183-216, 1966. 12. I. Newton, Feather Growth and Moult in some Captive Finches, Bird Study, 14, #10-24, 1967. 13. D.W. Snow, The Moult of British Thrushes and Chats, Bird Study, 14, 16, 115-129, 1969.
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