Abstract
Organochlorine pesticide levels were determined in Neotropical migrant passerines which have populations reported to be declining. Pesticide residues ranging from 0.385 to 27.4 ng/g were found in 19 of 21 birds, including both Hatch Year (HY) and After Hatch Year (AHY) age classes of nine different species. Eighteen of the 19 birds contained p,p'-DDE, while dieldrin was found in 16 birds and heptachlor epoxide was present in 10 birds. There were no significant differences in pesticide levels between HY and AHY birds, suggesting that HY birds are exposed to pesticides in their diet on the breeding ground or that pesticides are acquired from contaminated mothers, or both. Pesticide levels were not related to gender. Although the effects of these low residue levels on passerine fecundity are unknown, their presence has potential conservation implications for passerines and for the raptorial birds that feed upon them.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Askins RA (1993) Population trends in grassland, shrubland, and forest birds in eastern North America. In: Power DM (ed) Current ornithology, vol 11, Plenum Press, NY
Askins RA, Lynch JF, Greenberg R (1990) Population declines in migratory birds in eastern North America. In: Power DM (ed), Current ornithology, vol 7, Plenum Press, NY
Baril A, Elliott JE, Somers JD, Erickson G (1990) Residue levels of environmental contaminants in prey species of the peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus, in Canada. Canadian Field-Naturalist 104:273–284
Bishop CA, Koster MD, Chek AA, Hussell DJT, Jock K (1995) Chlorinated hydrocarbons and mercury in sediments, red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) and tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) from wetlands in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River basin. Environ Toxicol Chem 14:491–501
Block WM, Finch DM, Brennan LA (1995) Single-species versus multiple-species approaches for management, pp. 461–476. In: Martin TE and Finch DM (eds) Ecology and management of Neotropical migratory birds: a synthesis and review of critical issues. Oxford Univ Press
Bush B, Tumasonis CF, Baker FD (1974) Toxicity and persistence of PCB homologs and isomers in the avian system. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 2:195–212
Cade TJ, Enderson JH, Thelander CG, White CM (eds) (1988) Peregrine falcon populations—their management and recovery. The Peregrine Fund, Inc, Boise, ID
Colborn T, Vom Saal FS, Soto AM (1993) Developmental effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in wildlife and humans. Environ Health Perspectives 101:378–384
Custer TW, Custer CM (1995) Transfer and accumulation of organochlorines from black-crowned night-heron eggs to chicks. Environ Toxicol Chem 14:533–536
DeWeese LR, McEwen LC, Hensler GL, Petersen BE (1986) Organochlorine contaminants in passeriformes and other avian prey of the peregrine falcon in the western United States. Environ Toxicol Chem 5:675–693
Elliott JE, Martin PA (1994) Chlorinated hydrocarbons and shell thinning in eggs of (Accipter) hawks in Ontario, 1986–1989. Environ Pollut 86:189–200
Fyfe RW, Banasch U, Benavides V, De Benavides NH, Luscombe A, Sanchez J (1990) Organochlorine residues in potential prey of peregrine falcons, Falco peregrinus, in Latin America. Canadian Field-Naturalist 104:285–292
Gard NW, Hooper MJ, Bennett RS (1993) Effects of pesticides and contaminants on Neotropical migrants, pp 310–314. In: Finch DM and Stangel PW (eds) Status and management of Neotropical migratory birds. US Fish Wildl Serv Gen Tech Report RM-229
Gard NW, Hooper MJ, Benneth RS (1995) An assessment of potential hazards of pesticides and environmental contaminants, pp 294–310. In: Martin TE, Finch DM (eds) Ecology and management of Neotropical migratory birds: a synthesis and review of critical issues. Oxford Univ Press
Hagan JM III, Johnston DW (eds) (1992) Ecology and conservation of Neotropical migrant landbirds. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC
Henny CJ, Blus LJ (1986) Radiotelemetry locates wintering grounds of DDE-contaminated black-crowned night herons. Wildl Soc Bull 14:236–241
Hose JE, Guillette LJ Jr (1995) Defining the role of pollutants in the disruption of reproduction in wildlife. Environ Health Perspectives 103 (Supplement 4):87–91
James FC, McCulloch CE, Wolfe LE (1990) Methodological issues in the estimation of trends in bird populations with an example: the Pine Warbler, pp 84–97. In: Sauer JR, Droege S (eds) Survey designs and statistical methods for the estimation of avian population trends. US Fish Wildl Serv Biol Report 90(1)
Johnston DW (1974) Decline of DDT residues in migratory songbirds. Science 186:841–842
Kannan R (1991) Organochlorine pesticide concentrations in various species of migratory passerines in Louisiana. Proc Arkansas Acad Sci 45:46–47
Kubiak TJ, Harris HJ, Smith LM, Schwartz TR, Stalling DL, Trick JA, Sileo L, Docherty DE, Erdman TC (1989) Microcontaminants and reproductive impairment of the Forster's Tern on Green Bay, Lake Michigan—1983. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 18:706–727
Lopez Ornat A, Greenberg R (1990) Sexual segregation by habitat in migratory warblers in Quintana Roo, Mexico. Auk 107:539–543
Mora MA, Anderson DW (1991) Seasonal and geographical variation of organochlorine residues in birds from northwest Mexico. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 21:541–548
Quay WB (1985) Sperm release in migrating wood-warblers (Parulinae) nesting at higher latitudes. Wilson Bull 97:283–295
Rapaport RA, Urban NR, Capel PD, Baker JE, Looney BB, Eisenreich SJ, Gorham F (1985) New DDT inputs to North America: atmospheric deposition. Chemosphere 14:1167–1173
Rappole JH, McDonald MV (1994) Cause and effect in population declines of migratory birds. Auk 111:652–660
Robbins CS, Sauer JR, Greenberg RS, Droege S (1989) Population declines in North American birds that migrate to the Neotropics. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 86:7658–7662
SAS Institute (1994) SAS/STAT® user's guide, vol 2, GLM-VAR-COMP, version 6, 4th ed. SAS Institute Inc, Cary, NC
Sauer JR, Droege S (1992) Geographic patterns in population trends of Neotropical migrants in North America. In: Hagan JM III, Johnston DW (eds) Ecology and conservation of Neotropical migrant landbirds. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC
Simonich SL, Hites RA (1995) Global distribution of persistent organochlorine compounds. Science 269:1851–1854
Stickel WH, Stickel LF, Dyrland RA, Hughes DL (1984) DDE in birds: Lethal residues and loss rates. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 13:1–6
Terborgh JW (1989) Where have all the birds gone? Princeton Univ Press, Princeton, NJ
Thies ML, McBee K (1994) Cross-placental transfer of organochlorine pesticides in Mexican free-tailed bats from Oklahoma and New Mexico. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 27:239–242
Thies ML, Thies KM (1994) A survey of organochlorine pesticide contamination in the bats of Eckerd James River bat cave, Texas. Abstract. American Society of Mammalogists 75th Anniversary Meeting, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
White DH, Krynitsky AJ (1986) Wildlife in some areas of New Mexico and Texas accumulate elevated DDE residues, 1983. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 15:149–157
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Harper, R.G., Frick, J.A., Capparella, A.P. et al. Organochlorine pesticide contamination in neotropical migrant passerines. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 31, 386–390 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00212677
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00212677