Beware of the Bradford Pear Trees

[Granny Hatchet]

Thank you. Last MI I had was weed whipping w/ my brand new whip. Its still like new. LOL That was like #6 so all I do now is the riding mower.

 

[centrarchid]

These are not store bought Bradford Pears, rather they represent a hybrid swarm that may involve crosses with pears you actually eat, or simply be Fx hybrids. Growth form is not what I expect of Bradford Pears used in landscaping. Not all the trees have thorns and fruit are all over the place in terms of size and palatability. Those characters are consistent on a given tree. I do taste them. My preference is not to get into too much plant taxonomy as not an expert, but will post pictures demonstrating variation in thorns. The trees would be climbable for a child but not a 300 lb human that otherwise climbs a lot. The branches either too brittle or too thorny. Some rival Honey Locust, which I also have a few of, in terms of unpleasantness. Chickens like to roost in those as well and they get hurt once in a while doing it as I can see. I am still going to work on killing the trees as they cause a lot more troubles than discussed in my chicken management system.

I am at lab now so will get dissecting equipment ready to look into Edgar's cause of death. Feathers will be pulled if need be to look for wounds. What I really want to see is well is what he has in his crop. It the time of year of that some birds pound down some Night Shade berries and they do get a little sick sometimes. It is also possible he over consumed on those. Whatever cause of death, it caused a rapid decline, as he was ranging yard, dodging kids and dogs while opening cans of whoop-ass on the Dominique cockerels when they got too close.

 

[Melky]

Looks like I have found a new predator. A game cock we call Edgar that tries to roost in 35' Bradford Pear tree about 7 feet up appears to have died in the tree within a few minutes of getting to his roost site. He was in excellent health and his heart may have still been beating when I pulled him down. Dogs ran over to look up into tree as we approached as they apparently could from some distance something was off. From distance in low light he seemed stretched and standing up. I had to pull him down. My guess he either got hung or impaled in a bad spot on one the many thorns. I can find no sign of blood but puncture wounds do not always have free-flowing blood.

He was decidedly a pet. Now I am going to try and kill every Bradford Pear on the place. Should have had that some some time ago.

I doubt the tree did it. But I have heard the upright reaching stance could mean a heart attack. Some Bradford Pears are thorny, some are not. The branches are weak and will not be reliable. Often the branches come down in storm or from age. They eventually like to split. If you still want to take it down fine but do not think it a culprit. If you do take the tree down, A small white blooming plum tree will give the same effect with no thorns and only get to 8 ft. Birds might be safer in a barn or shed anyway. Sorry for your loss. How old was your bird? Age catches up with us all. Did you do a necropsy? I'm curious regarding the results.

 

[Amer]

A tree killed your bird?

I recommend finding out what actually killed your beloved pet.
Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
University of Missouri
810 E. Campus Loop
Columbia, Missouri 65211-0001
Phone: 573-882-6811

Call them and they'll send you a FedEx label for shipping.

Personally, I hate invasive Japanese honeysuckle.
They're everywhere and I've been fighting them most of my life.

The thorns are over an inch long though.

 

[centrarchid]

I doubt the tree did it. But I have heard the upright reaching stance could mean a heart attack. Some Bradford Pears are thorny, some are not. If you still want to take it down fine but do not think it a culprit. If you do take the tree down, A small white blooming plum tree will give the same effect with no thorns and only get to 8 ft. Birds might be safer in a barn or shed anyway. Sorry for your loss. How old was your bird? Age catches up with us all. Did you do a necropsy? I'm curious regarding the results.

These trees are pest in a pasture, so not looking for replacements. I have been keeping chickens long time and seen deaths do to a lot of different things, and would not rule out tree x bird interaction. I have even had chicken killed by windows, more than one.

A game rooster passing from a heart attack does not seem plausible.

Thorns on some of the trees are a good 2" long.

 

[Melky]

These trees are pest in a pasture, so not looking for replacements. I have been keeping chickens long time and seen deaths do to a lot of different things, and would not rule out tree x bird interaction. I have even had chicken killed by windows, more than one.

A game rooster passing from a heart attack does not seem plausible.

Thorns on some of the trees are a good 2" long.

Yes but you would find wounds if he impaled himself somehow. With no visible injuries hard to blame the tree. If he ate a lot of the fruit if it bore fruit or seed now that could make him sick but unlikely that he would bother it. When mixed with stomach acid in humans the glycosides in the seed makes cyanide. Cyanide would make him ill enough not to eat. Unless he had traces of cyanide in his system, I don't think the tree was the culprit.

https://www.hunker.com/12259380/are-bradford-pear-trees-poisonous-to-humans

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Never seen a Bradford Pear with thorns. Hawthorns on the other hand are wicked evil with thorns.

Wanna see a small tree with really wicked thorns? Trifoliate Orange,

 

[centrarchid]

Yes but you would find wounds if he impaled himself somehow. With no visible injuries hard to blame the tree. If he ate a lot of the fruit if it bore fruit or seed now that could make him sick but unlikely that he would bother it. When mixed with stomach acid in humans the glycosides in the seed makes cyanide. Cyanide would make him ill enough not to eat. Unless he had traces of cyanide in his system, I don't think the tree was the culprit.

https://www.hunker.com/12259380/are-bradford-pear-trees-poisonous-to-humans

You are not reading what I have wrote or otherwise not comprehending. Real inspection of bird has not yet occurred.

 

[Melky]

You are not reading what I have wrote or otherwise not comprehending. Real inspection of bird has not yet occurred.

I am reading and comprehending rest assured. Just inquiring and suggestive that a necropsy may be of assistance to you in your time of loss. Sometimes people move quickly after a post, one of your posts discussed it but I found lacked finality. Won't discuss again with you.

 

[aart]

Looking forward to reading your future findings on this @centrarchid.

I will rant about my hate for ornamental gone bad.
Honeysuckle is bad.....but not as bad as Autumn Olive!!
I loathe that stuff!!(very short rant)

We are reading and comprehending rest assured

Got a mouse in your pocket? Speak only for yourself, please.