Using Feathers to Determine Mercury Contamination in Peregrine Falcons and Their Prey

Abstract

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Mercury Exposure in Birds of Prey from Norway: Relation to Stable Carbon and Nitrogen Isotope Signatures in Body Feathers

“…Hg in feathers of NG were in the range of nestlings of the same species in Norway and Spain (Dolan et al 2017), but also in other terrestrial diurnal birds of prey of similar diets from USA, Spain and different owl species from Finland and Spain (see Table 1), but lower than the Finnish NG (Solonen and Lodenius 1990) or Norway (see Table 1). In WTE, similar concentrations were found in nestling feathers of osprey (Pandion haliaetus) from different places in USA, Canada and Finland (see Table 1) and in peregrine falcons fledglings feeding on aquatic birds from Lake Mead National Recreation Area in USA (Barnes and Gerstenberger 2015).…”

A Broadscale Assessment of Mercury Contamination in Peregrine Falcons Across the Northern Latitudes of North America

“…1). By comparison, a recent assessment at breeding territories of a nonmigratory population of F. p. anatum in southern Nevada in the southwestern USA documented mean THg concentrations of 3.76 lg/g in HY peregrines and 12.19 lg/g in AHY peregrines (Barnes and Gerstenberger 2015). An assessment of migrating and wintering F. p. pealei peregrines along coastal Washington detected mean THg concentrations of 6.05 lg/g and 23.11 lg/g in feathers of HY and AHY individuals, respectively (n ¼ 151; Barnes et al 2018).…”

“…As expected, because young birds are provisioned with the same prey regardless of sex, we did not detect significant differences in THg concentrations by sex in either axillary or p4 feathers of HY peregrines. Similarly, an assessment of HY peregrines migrating and wintering along coastal Washington did not detect a significant difference in THg exposure between sexes (Barnes et al 2018), nor did Barnes and Gerstenberger (2015) detect significant differences between siblings of different sexes within peregrine broods in southern Nevada.…”

“…The migratory nature of many peregrine populations, and the extensive and highly variable migration patterns of their various avian prey species are important factors that must be considered when assessing geographic and temporal Hg exposure. Earlier peregrine contaminant studies assessed organochlorine pollutants (Henny et al 1982, Henny et al 2009, Franke et al 2010 and other chemical pesticides (Newton et al 1989, Peakall et al 1990, petroleum exposure (Seegar et al 2015), trace metals and various environmental contaminants (Parrish et al 1983, Ambrose et al 2000, and Hg Mearns 1982, Dietz et al 2006b, Barnes and Gerstenberger 2015). Mercury concentrations in peregrine feathers are correlated with Hg levels in their prey Odsjö 1983, Barnes andGerstenberger 2015); however, the threshold toxicity levels that impair reproduction, health, and survival have not been established in this species.…”

Global mercury concentrations in biota: their use as a basis for a global biomonitoring framework

“…While piscivorous raptors were predominantly emphasized in past Hg biomonitoring, recent studies show that MeHg is also prevalent in terrestrial-based food webs, and that invertivorous birds (Passeriformes) can have elevated MeHg concentrations (Jackson et al 2011a , 2015 ; Evers 2018 ) that can result in levels of concern in raptors such as Accipiters and falcons that feed on those birds (Newton et al 1999 ; Barnes and Gerstenberger 2015 , 2019 ; Bourbour et al 2019 ; Keyel et al 2020 ). Studies that documented sublethal dietary MeHg exposure in captive American kestrels ( Falco sparverius ) demonstrated neurotoxic impacts (Bennett et al 2009 ) and reproductive harm (Albers et al 2007 ) and provide threshold benchmarks for wild populations.…”