Effect of nucleopolyhedrosis virus on two avian predators of the gypsy moth

The nucleopolyhedrosis virus (NPV) of the gypsy moth was fed to black-capped chickadees and house sparrows in the form of NPV-infected gypsy moth larvae. Body weight and results of histological examination of organs of treated and control birds indicated that NPV had no apparent short term effect on these two important predators of the gypsy moth.