Pesticide, PCB, and lead residues and necropsy data for bald eagles from 32 states-1978–81

Reichel, W. L.; Schmeling, Shelia K.; Cromartie, Eugene; Kaiser, Thomas; Krynitsky, Alexander J.; Lamont, T. G.; Mulhern, Bernard M.; Prouty, Richard M.; Stafford, Charles J.; Swineford, Douglas M.

doi:10.1007/bf00394177

Cited by 38 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 1 publication

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This may be at least partially explained by intraspecific dominance at scavenged carcasses, although there is more evidence for females displacing males than for adults displacing juveniles (Halley and Gjershaug 1998;Garcelon 1990). In combined data from two reports of lead poisoning in bald eagles, 18 of 26 birds were females and 14 of 26 were adults (Kaiser et al 1980;Reichel et al 1984). Acute lead poisoning of birds is generally characterized by a high level of lead exposure for a short time, whereas chronic poisoning occurs over a longer period of time, often with a lesser magnitude of exposure (Franson and Pain 2011).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…The time span for golden eagle carcass collection was from 1975 to 2013, but data for bald eagles were restricted to those collected from 1982 to 2013, as causes of mortality, including lead poisoning, diagnosed in carcasses collected from 1975 to 1981 were reported by Kaiser et al (1980) and Reichel et al (1984). Necropsy procedures and preparation of tissues for histopathology were as previously described (Franson et al 1996).…”

Section: Case Records Necropsy and Lead Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The first published report of lead poisoning in a bald eagle was in an emaciated bird found in Maryland in 1968 with two ingested lead shot (Mulhern et al 1970). Additional reports followed, and lead poisoning of bald eagles was linked to the ingestion of lead shot embedded in tissues of unretrieved waterfowl shot by hunters and, rarely, in the gastrointestinal tract of waterfowl that themselves died of lead poisoning (Kaiser et al 1980;Pattee and Hennes 1983;Reichel et al 1984). Fluoroscopy of waterfowl for embedded shot and food habits studies of wintering bald eagles, using regurgitated casts, provided additional evidence of the association of lead poisoning in bald eagles and their consumption of waterfowl (Griffin et al 1980;Sabine and Klimstra 1985).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Lead and eagles: demographic and pathological characteristics of poisoning, and exposure levels associated with other causes of mortality

Franson

Russell

2014

Ecotoxicology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We conducted a retrospective analysis to evaluate demographic and pathologic characteristics in 484 bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) and 68 golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) diagnosed with lead poisoning at the U.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center. As part of our analysis, we compared characteristics of lead poisoned eagles with those that died of other causes. Odds of lead poisoning were greater for bald eagles versus golden eagles, females versus males, adults versus juveniles, and eagles from the Mississippi and Central flyways versus the Atlantic and Pacific flyways. In addition to spatial, species, and demographic associations, we detected a distinct temporal trend in the collection date of lead poisoned bald eagle carcasses. These carcasses were found at greater frequency in late autumn and winter than spring and summer. Lesions in lead poisoned birds included emaciation, evidence of bile stasis, myocardial degeneration and necrosis, and renal tubular nephrosis and necrosis. Ingested lead ammunition or fragments were found in 14.2% of bald eagles and 11.8% of golden eagles. The overall mean liver lead concentration (wet weight basis) for eagles diagnosed with lead poisoning was 28.9 ± 0.69 SE mg/kg in bald eagles and 19.4 ± 1.84 SE mg/kg in golden eagles. In eagles diagnosed with collision trauma, electrocution, poisoning (other than lead), emaciation, infectious disease, trapping death, other, and undetermined causes, average liver lead concentrations were low (<1 mg/kg) and did not differ among causes of mortality. Thus, based on our data, we found no evidence that lead exposure of eagles predisposed them to other causes of mortality.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Section: Case Records Necropsy and Lead Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Lead and eagles: demographic and pathological characteristics of poisoning, and exposure levels associated with other causes of mortality

Franson

Russell

2014

Ecotoxicology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The occurrence of Pb poisoning in dead Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) in the United States and Canada were 3-15%, with hepatic or renal Pb levels of [20 ppm (dry weight) (Reichel et al 1984;Elliott et al 1992). Of 57 White-tailed eagles (H. albicilla) found dead or moribund in Germany and Austria, 21-23% were suspected to have died of Pb poisoning (Kenntner et al 2001).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Abnormal lead exposure in globally threatened Cinereous vultures (Aegypius monachus) wintering in South Korea

Nam

Lee

2008

Ecotoxicology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Globally threatened Cinereous vultures (Aegypius monachus) regularly over-winter in South Korea, and they have frequently been found dead in their natural habitats. As one possible factor for their mortality, we investigated tissues for heavy metal contaminants along with necropsies on 20 dead Cinereous vultures. Severe emaciation was found in the survey, being associated with 19 of the deaths. Two of the 19 showed lesions suggestive of lead poisoning in the tissues; there was no indication of trauma, embedded shot, lead bullets in the stomach, or signs of electrocution in the specimens. Of 20 vultures, two showed lesions compatible with death from lead poisoning with 19.7 ppm dry weight (6.9 ppm wet weight) and 34.1 ppm dry weight (11.1 ppm wet weight), and 14 individuals had a potentially toxic level of lead with >6 ppm dry weight (about 2 ppm wet weight) in liver or kidney. The ingestion of lead-contaminated carcasses probably occurs along their migratory route. The possibility of lead exposure from the breeding site (Mongolia) or stopover area (China) should also be considered because some individuals are likely to die at or upon arrival. Our results suggest that most of the dead Cinereous vultures may be suffering from abnormally high lead exposure, indicating a potentially important cause of mortality in this endangered species.

show abstract

“…Risk (Aulerich and Ringer 1977;Heaton et al 1995), and mercury has been implicated in increased mink mortality (Wren et al 1987). Bald eagle survival and reproduction have been negatively affected by dieldrin, p,p′-DDE, and PCBs in the environment (Reichel et al 1984;Wiemeyer et al 1984). Benthivorous and piscivorous fish were examined separately because fish in higher trophic levels (piscivorous fish) generally have higher concentrations of accumulative contaminants such as total PCBs and mercury, but benthivorous fish species are the preferred prey in some bald eagle populations (Haywood and Ohmart 1986).…”

Section: Laboratory Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental contaminants in freshwater fish and their risk to piscivorous wildlife based on a national monitoring program

Hinck

Schmitt

Chojnacki

et al. 2008

Environ Monit Assess

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Organochlorine chemical residues and elemental concentrations were measured in piscivorous and benthivorous fish at 111 sites from large U.S. river basins. Potential contaminant sources such as urban and agricultural runoff, industrial discharges, mine drainage, and irrigation varied among the sampling sites. Our objectives were to provide summary statistics for chemical contaminants and to determine if contaminant concentrations in the fish were a risk to wildlife that forage at these sites. Concentrations of dieldrin, total DDT, total PCBs, toxaphene, TCDD-EQ, cadmium, chromium, mercury, lead, selenium, and zinc exceeded toxicity thresholds to protect fish and piscivorous wildlife in samples from at least one site; most exceedences were for total PCBs, mercury, and zinc. Chemical concentrations in fish from the Mississippi River Basin exceeded the greatest number of toxicity thresholds. Screening level wildlife risk analysis models were developed for bald eagle and mink using no adverse effect levels (NOAELs), which were derived from adult dietary exposure or tissue concentration studies and based primarily on reproductive endpoints. No effect hazard concentrations (NEHC) were calculated by comparing the NOAEL to the food ingestion rate (dietary-based NOAEL) or biomagnification factor (tissue-based NOAEL) of each receptor. Piscivorous wildlife may be at risk from a contaminant if the measured concentration in fish exceeds the NEHC. Concentrations of most organochlorine residues and elemental contaminants represented no to low risk to bald eagle and mink at most sites. The risk associated with pentachloroanisole, aldrin, Dacthal, methoxychlor, mirex, and toxaphene was unknown because NOAELs for these contaminants were not available for bald eagle or mink. Risk differed among modeled species and sites. Our screening level analysis indicates that the greatest risk to piscivorous wildlife was from total DDT, total PCBs, TCDD-EQ, mercury, and selenium. Bald eagles were at greater risk to total DDT and total PCBs than mink, whereas risks of TCDD-EQ, mercury, and selenium were greater to mink than bald eagle.

show abstract

Pesticide, PCB, and lead residues and necropsy data for bald eagles from 32 states-1978–81

Cited by 38 publications

References 1 publication

Lead and eagles: demographic and pathological characteristics of poisoning, and exposure levels associated with other causes of mortality

Lead and eagles: demographic and pathological characteristics of poisoning, and exposure levels associated with other causes of mortality

Abnormal lead exposure in globally threatened Cinereous vultures (Aegypius monachus) wintering in South Korea

Environmental contaminants in freshwater fish and their risk to piscivorous wildlife based on a national monitoring program

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About