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A preliminary assessment of mercury in the feathers of migratory songbirds breeding in the North American subarctic

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Abstract

Passerines appear to have a greater sensitivity to mercury than other avian orders, and little data exists for mercury exposure in songbirds breeding at high latitudes. In this preliminary study, we examined mercury exposure in 12 migratory songbird species breeding in Denali National Park & Preserve, in subarctic interior Alaska. Overall, we analyzed 343 feather samples collected in 2015–2017 for their total mercury content. Mercury levels found in feathers indicates exposure during the period of feather growth, which we assume largely took place on the breeding ground. In this limited sample of songbird feathers, mercury concentrations ranged from near zero to 6.34 μg/g. Most species sampled showed relatively low mercury, but some individuals had high enough concentrations to be subject to adverse physiological and behavioral effects. There was an indication that mercury concentrations of breeding songbirds may vary by diet composition, with non-invertivorous species possibly tending towards lower mercury concentrations. Overall, however, the degree of mercury exposure observed was low for songbirds breeding in the subarctic. Further examination would prove useful in clarifying mercury exposure and ecological relationships in this under-studied region.

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Acknowledgements

We are extremely grateful to the National Park Service, Alaska Geographic, Denali Education Center, Murie Science and Learning Center, Camp Denali, and Biodiversity Research Institute for provided funding and/or in-kind support for the Critical Connections Program, and to Dave Schirokauer (NPS) for his continued support of this project. We are extremely grateful to Emily Williams and Kevin Regan for their attention to detail and critical assistance in the field and lab, respectively. For their persistence and practical approach in the field, we also thank Jill Boelsma, George Gress, Jason Reppert, Dan Gusset, Dave Merz, Cole Rankin, and Jordan Tippetts.

Funding

This study was funded by the National Park Service, Alaska Geographic, Denali Education Center, Murie Science and Learning Center, and Camp Denali.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biodiversity Research Institute, Portland, ME, USA

    I. J. Stenhouse & E. M. Adams

  2. National Park Service, Denali National Park & Preserve, Denali Park, AK, USA

    L. M. Phillips

  3. Milton, NH, USA

    S. Weidensaul

  4. National Park Service, Denali National Park & Preserve, Fairbanks, AK, USA

    C. L. McIntyre

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  1. I. J. Stenhouse
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Correspondence to I. J. Stenhouse.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed. All samples collected in this study, as well as capture and handling, took place under applicable permits for wildlife research. All sampling followed protocols approved by the National Park Service Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (Permit Number AKR_DENA_McIntyre_Birds_2015.A3).

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Stenhouse, I.J., Adams, E.M., Phillips, L.M. et al. A preliminary assessment of mercury in the feathers of migratory songbirds breeding in the North American subarctic. Ecotoxicology 29, 1221–1228 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-019-02105-2

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