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Mercury Concentrations in Eggs of Red-Winged Blackbirds and Tree Swallows Breeding in Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota

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Abstract

Most investigations of the environmental effects of mercury (Hg) have focused on aquatic food webs that include piscivorous fish or wildlife. However, recent investigations have shown that other species, including passerine songbirds, may also be at risk from exposure to methylmercury (MeHg). We quantified Hg concentrations in eggs of two species of songbirds, red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) and tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor), nesting in Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota, USA. Geometric mean concentrations of total Hg (THg) were lower in red-winged blackbird eggs [218 and 107 ng/g dry weight (dw) for 2012 and 2013, respectively] than in tree swallow eggs (228 and 300 ng/g dw for 2012 and 2013, respectively), presumably reflecting differences in the trophic positions of these two species. Concentrations of MeHg averaged 98.4 % of THg in red-winged blackbird eggs. Levels of THg observed in this study were well below critical toxicological benchmarks commonly applied to eggs of avian species, suggesting these breeding populations were not adversely affected by exposure to MeHg. In red-winged blackbirds, concentrations of THg in eggs collected in 2012 were twice those in eggs collected in 2013. Hg levels in eggs of both species increased with date of clutch initiation. In red-winged blackbirds, for example, temporal patterns showed that a 3-week delay in clutch initiation increased egg THg by 60 %. These observations indicate that in ovo exposure of wetland birds to MeHg can vary significantly within nesting season as well as between years.

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Acknowledgments

Financial support for this project was provided by the National Park Service, the River Studies Center at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UWL), and the United States Geological Survey. This article was prepared with funding from the National Park Service under Task Agreement P12AC10145 of the Great Lakes-Northern Forest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit through Cooperative Agreement H6000082000 between the National Park Service and the University of Minnesota. Coauthor J. G. Wiener was supported by the University of Wisconsin System Distinguished Professors Program and by the UWL Foundation during this study. We are grateful for field support provided by Voyageurs National Park staff including Lisa Maass, Sarah Malick, and Bill Severud. We also thank Christine Custer for guidance in processing egg samples and review of the manuscript and Douglas Baumann for statistical advice. UWL undergraduates Carlton Folster, Jordan Ludwigson, Alex Ritchay, and Anne Tronnes, as well as graduate student Sean Bailey, provided technical assistance in the field and laboratory. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the United States government.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. River Studies Center, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, 1725 State Street, La Crosse, WI, 54601, USA

    Robin W. Tyser, Kristofer R. Rolfhus & James G. Wiener

  2. Voyageurs National Park, 360 Hwy 11 E, International Falls, MN, 56649, USA

    Steve K. Windels

  3. Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, United States Geological Survey, 2630 Fanta Reed Rd., La Crosse, WI, 54603, USA

    Thomas W. Custer & Paul M. Dummer

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  1. Robin W. Tyser
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  2. Kristofer R. Rolfhus
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Correspondence to Robin W. Tyser.

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Tyser, R.W., Rolfhus, K.R., Wiener, J.G. et al. Mercury Concentrations in Eggs of Red-Winged Blackbirds and Tree Swallows Breeding in Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 71, 16–25 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-016-0263-y

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