Lead Objects Ingested by Common Loons in New England

Pokras, Mark A.; Kneeland, Michelle; Ludi, Anna B.; Golden, Ethan; Major, Andrew; Miconi, Rose; Poppenga, Robert H.

doi:10.1656/045.016.0202

Cited by 9 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…This is in contrast to what has been stated in previous studies (Pokras and Chafel , Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service , Scheuhammer et al , Pokras et al , Haig et al ), which suggested loons obtain lead from a reservoir of lost tackle on the substrates of lakes, mistaking lead for pebbles ingested to help break up food (Franson et al ). If ingested lead was obtained primarily from lake substrates, we would expect the rate of lead tackle mortality to be relatively constant during the time loons are resident on lakes.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 90%

“…The lead tackle mortality rate of 48.6% of collected adult loons in this study is similar to rates of 44% to 65% found in earlier studies of adult common loon mortality on breeding grounds in the northeastern states (Pokras and Chafel , Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service , Sidor et al , Pokras et al ). Franson et al () reported a 7.5% rate of lead toxicosis in predominantly live northeastern loons, which, given the evidence suggesting a rapid death following lead ingestion in loons (Pokras and Chafel , Sidor et al ), were unlikely to be carrying ingested lead tackle.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

“…Although previous studies have also examined tackle in loons from New Hampshire (Franson and Cliplef , Franson et al ) and reported on tackle found in loons in New England up to 2000 (Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service , Pokras et al ), the higher proportion of jigs found in our study may have resulted from different fishing tactics in New Hampshire compared with the larger New England region or from misidentifications of jigheads as sinkers when common loon mortality from lead tackle was an emerging issue.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 52%

“…Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service () and Pokras et al () published details of 17 jigs and 21 sinkers or split shots included in the present study. We report 44 jigs and 24 sinkers or split shots for the first time.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We weighed each tackle item on a digital scale to the nearest 0.01 g and measured each item's length along the longest axis with calipers to the nearest 0.01 mm. Ingested tackle erodes in the gizzard because of grinding action and stomach acids; and, in the case of jigs, hooks or other attachments break off and often dissolve or are passed prior to death (Pokras et al ). We report the mass and length of eroded lead jigheads and sinkers.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Population‐level effects of lead fishing tackle on common loons

et al. 2017

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Poisoning from lead fishing tackle has been identified as the leading cause of mortality in adult common loons (Gavia immer). As a K-selected species, adult survival is a critical component in the population demography of loons, but the population-level effects of mortality from ingested lead tackle on loons have not been quantified. We used a long-term dataset on common loon mortality in New Hampshire, USA, to describe the types of lead tackle ingested by loons, investigate methods of ingestion of lead tackle, document the number and rate of adult mortalities resulting from lead tackle, and test for a population-level effect of lead tackle on the loon population in New Hampshire. Nearly half (48.6%) of collected adult mortalities resulted from lead toxicosis from ingested lead fishing tackle, representing an adjusted annual mortality rate of 1.7 AE 0.6% (SD) of the statewide population. Jigs accounted for 52.6% and sinkers for 38.8% of the archived lead tackle objects removed from loons, a higher proportion of jigs than has been reported in previous studies. The timing of lead tackle mortalities and a high incidence of accompanying non-lead associated fishing gear (hooks, fishing line, leaders, swivels, wire), which peaked in July and August, suggest that loons obtain the majority of lead tackle from current fishing activity rather than from a reservoir of lead tackle on lake bottoms. To project the statewide loon population in the absence of lead fishing tackle as a stressor, we constructed a retrospective population model, which re-inserted loons that died from lead tackle into the population, and used linear regression to test for a population-level effect. We defined a populationlevel effect as a difference in the population growth rate (l). We estimated that lead tackle mortality reduced the population growth rate (l) by 1.4% and the statewide population by 43% during the years of the study. This study suggests that replacing lead fishing sinkers and jigs weighing 28.4 g with non-toxic alternatives would result in an immediate benefit to the loon population in New Hampshire. Ó 2017 The Wildlife Society.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 90%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 52%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Population‐level effects of lead fishing tackle on common loons

et al. 2017

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Biogeochemistry and Conservation Biology

Campbell

2023

Biogeochemistry and the Environment

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Concentration of trace elements in feathers of waterfowl, Korea

Kim

2014

Environ Monit Assess

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Cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and iron (Fe) were analyzed in the breast feather of white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons, n = 15), mallards (Anas platyrhynchos, n = 4), and spot-billed ducks (Anas poecilorhyncha, n = 13) found dead in Gimpo, Korea. All of the mallards and eight of the 13 spot-billed ducks had embedded shot. Concentrations of Pb, Cr, Cu, Mn, Zn, and Fe were significantly different among waterfowl species. Mallards with embedded shot had relatively higher Pb, Cr, Mn, and Fe concentrations than the other species. Cd and Cr in feathers of waterfowl species were within the range reported for other birds, and no specimen exceeded the tentative threshold effect levels of Cd (2 μg/g dry weight (dw)) and Cr (2.8 μg/g dw) for birds. However, Pb in feathers of all four mallards and two spot-billed ducks exceeded the threshold for deleterious effects (>4 μg/g dw). Essential elements such as Cu, Mn, Zn, and Fe in the feather of waterfowl species were not at toxic levels and within the background or normal range for the homeostatic mechanisms.

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Lead Objects Ingested by Common Loons in New England

Cited by 9 publications

References 15 publications

Population‐level effects of lead fishing tackle on common loons

Population‐level effects of lead fishing tackle on common loons

Biogeochemistry and Conservation Biology

Concentration of trace elements in feathers of waterfowl, Korea

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