Resources related to Contaminants

Birds at Risk: The Importance of Canada’s Boreal Wetlands and Waterways

This report looks at three natural areas in the boreal forest that are critical for birds,
but that are coming under pressure from industry, hydropower, and climate change.
We discuss some strong policy steps governments must take in order to protect the
watery forest and the great biodiversity of birds it supports.

Waterbird Populations and Pressures in the Baltic Sea

This report outlines the results of the internationally coordinated census of wintering waterbirds in the Baltic Sea 2007-2009 undertaken under the SOWBAS project (Status of wintering Waterbird populations in the Baltic Sea). The estimated total number of wintering waterbirds was 4.41 million compared to 7.44 million during the last co-ordinated census 1992-1993. Despite the general declines stable or increasing populations of herbivorous species were recorded.

Waterbird Populations and Pressures in the Baltic Sea

This report outlines the results of the internationally coordinated census of wintering waterbirds in the Baltic Sea 2007-2009 undertaken under the SOWBAS project (Status of wintering Waterbird populations in the Baltic Sea). The estimated total number of wintering waterbirds was 4.41 million compared to 7.44 million during the last co-ordinated census 1992-1993. Despite the general declines stable or increasing populations of herbivorous species were recorded. While benthic carnivores with a coastal distribution have either shown moderate declines, stable or increasing populations.

Survey of Wintering Sea Ducks and Waterbirds in Bristol Bay, Alaska

There is a dearth of information about bird use of certain areas of Bristol Bay during winter. This survey will fill in gaps of our knowledge and provide baseline winter abundance and distribution data for eastern Bristol Bay and the southern extent of sea ice, which varies annually. The area is subject to potential threats from offshore oil and gas development and from mining (i.e., Pebble mine). The aerial survey will be done using USFWS Kodiak fixed-wing aircraft and pilots and will test the proposed survey methodology..

Biological and Societal Dimensions of Lead Poisoning of Birds in the USA

ABSTRACT.—The ingestion of spent lead shot was known to cause mortality in wild waterfowl in the US a
century before the implementation of nontoxic shot regulations began in 1972. The biological foundation
for this transition was strongly supported by both field observations and structured scientific investigations.
Despite the overwhelming evidence, various societal factors forestalled the full transition to nontoxic shot
for waterfowl hunting until 1991. Now, nearly 20 years later, these same factors weigh heavily in current

Embedded Lead Shot and Infliction Rates in Common Eiders

Wildl. Biol. 12: 257-265.
“As the Eider is a bird very resistant to shot, often 2-3 birds are wounded for each that is shot dead…”
(Müller, South Greenland, 1906)
The large numbers of common eiders Somateria mollissima and king eiders S. spectabilis wintering
in southwest Greenland are subject to intensive hunting, and in addition to direct harvest an unknown
number of birds are wounded and become carriers of embedded lead shot. We conducted the first
assessment of the magnitude of this undesirable side effect of hunting in Greenland by X-raying 879

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