Lead poisoning in a bird of prey

Lead and lead toxicity in domestic and free living birds

“…) shot by hunters and left behind so that, badly injured, they are easy targets for birds of prey. The lead ingested is easily soluble because the pH in the predators' ventricle reaches around 1.0 and 2.0 (Benson et al, 1974).…”

“…On consuming these shot individuals, they inadvertently ingest the pellets. Currently, several cases of death from plumbism are known about in predators, including species like the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), the Iberian imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti), the bald eagle (Heliaaetus leucocephalus) or the griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) (Benson et al, 1974;Pattee et al, 1981).…”

Lead Exposure in an “Urban” Peregrine Falcon and Its Avian Prey

“…Although Franson et al (1983) did not include concentrations of lead for the kidney, no intranuclear inclusions were observed in the proximal convoluted tubules of these raptors, which is in agreement with our findings. At the predicted concentration of lead in blood of 0.14 ppm and measured concentrations of lead in tissues for this peregrine falcon, no significant increased risk to infection would be expected based on previous studies in raptors (Reiser and Temple, 1981;Stendell, 1980;Franson et al, 1983;Benson et al, 1974). Therefore, the possibility of sublethal lead exposure as the predisposing factor for the infection in the peregrine falcon is remote.…”

“…The concentration of lead in blood for the falcon was estimated to be 0.14 ppm. Benson et al (1974) calculated mean concentrations of lead in total body tissue in a prairie falcon (Falco mexicanus) and a great horned owl (Bubo virginianus).…”

“…Since Benson et al (1974) reported that bone would be regurgitated and digested minimally by the raptors, we felt that the concentrations of lead in the bones of rock doves could be excluded in the calculation of mean concentration of lead in tissues of rock doves consumed by peregrine falcons. Using this method mean concentrations of lead of 4.60 ppm/rock dove for the urban rock doves and 0.33 ppm/rock dove for control rock doves were calculated from measured mean concentrations of lead in blood, liver, and kidney for the 13 urban rock doves and four control rock doves, respectively.…”