Meeting Abstract
Anthropogenic metal pollutants emitted into the environment have the potential to harm organisms residing in the polluted ecosystem. Urban birds spend much of their time in human-dominated landscapes and could serve as bioindicators of metal pollution as well as possibly reflect human exposure. Lead is a persistent heavy metal in the environment that can act as a neurotoxin when it reaches high levels within an organism. Diets vary widely in songbirds and species that forage on soil-dwelling organisms may be more prone to lead exposure. Similarly, if young are fed preferred items there may be differences in exposure between adults and juveniles. Finally, species that associate strongly with human structures may differ in exposure to lead. In this preliminary study, we describe blood lead levels in four species of urban songbirds: two omnivores that forage frequently for soil-dwelling organisms and two granivores, including an invasive and native species of each. We will discuss the influence of diet, age and ecological niche on lead levels in these urban songbirds. Understanding factors that increase a species sensitivity to pollution can better guide conservation efforts and raise public awareness surrounding pollution risks to wildlife.
