0883-6272/86 + .00 Copyright ® 1986 SUNSAT Energy Council EFFECTS OF CHRONIC CONTINUOUS WAVE MICROWAVE RADIATION (2.45 GHz) ON THE FORAGING BEHAVIOR OF THE WHITE-THROATED SPARROW FRED E. WASSERMAN, DEBORAH A. PATTERSON AND THOMAS H. KUNZ Department of Biology Boston University Boston, Massachusetts 02215 SAM P. BATTISTA Arthur D. Little. Inc. 30 Memorial Drive Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142 DAVID BYMAN Penn State University Worthington-Scranton Campus 120 Ridge view Drive Dunmore, Pennsylvania 18512 Abstract — The effect of chronic continuous wave microwave radiation on the foraging behavior of the White-throated Sparrow was examined using an optimal foraging laboratory technique. Birds were exposed to microwaves for seven days at a frequency of 2.45 GHz and power densities of 0.0. 0.1, 1 0, 10.0, and 25.0 mW/cm2. Even though there were differences in foraging behaviors among power densities no trend was found for a dose response effect. Birds showed no significant differences in foraging behaviors among pre-exposure, exposure, and post-exposure periods. INTRODUCTION In an effort to determine possible environmental effects of the Satellite Power System (SPS) (1) we measured the effect of microwave exposure on foraging behavior in the White-throated Sparrow, Zonotrichia albicollis. The efficiency with which a species can forage should be important in determining its ability to survive and reproduce in a particular habitat (2, 3). The average body size of many common avian species (5 cm in length) suggests that these animals would have a maximum microwave absorption efficiency of 2.45 GHz (the frequency proposed for use in the SPS) and the rate of energy absorption could double or triple due to resonance (4). METHODS Exposure Facilities and Microwave Generating Equipment The microwave irradiation facilities were designed to provide planewave illumi-
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