We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Ingestion of anthropogenic particles by wild birds from urban riparian habitats.
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined droppings from six wild bird species near rivers in Coimbra, Portugal, finding suspected plastic or human-made particles in 43% of samples. Song thrushes had the highest levels, mostly filaments and fibers, and chemical testing confirmed some particles were plastic, suggesting thrushes could help track pollution in cities.
Plastic contamination is a recognised widespread threat to the environment, but exposure of wildlife to plastic particles has been studied mostly in marine habitats. However, plastics are mainly produced inland and carried by freshwater systems to the ocean, while also moving between aquatic and terrestrial environments. Given this, we used common bird species belonging to different dietary and foraging niches, captured in urban and sub-urban riparian areas, as indicators of exposure to anthropogenic particles, including plastics, in freshwater systems. We aimed to assess the prevalence of anthropogenic particles across different species and evaluate whether observed differences were associated with dietary preferences, foraging substrates, and urbanization. We collected faeces from six bird species, in sixteen locations along an urbanisation gradient in Coimbra city, Portugal, during the 2024 breeding season. Anthropogenic-origin suspected particles were found in 68 out of 159 faecal samples (42.7%), and thrushes, in particular the song thrush, showed the highest prevalence and abundance. Suspected particles were mainly filaments (37%) and fibres (23%), followed by fragments (21%) and pellets (15%), and most were blue (55%). There were no significant relationships between soil imperviousness and population density with the abundance of particles in the faecal samples of birds. Twenty-one percent of the successfully chemically characterised particles by micro-Fourier transform Infrared Spectroscopy were plastic (11.5% of the suspected particles). Thrushes can be used as useful indicators of anthropogenic particle contamination in urban environments.
More Papers Like This
High microplastic pollution in birds of urban waterbodies revealed by non-invasively collected faecal samples
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers analyzed bird droppings from urban freshwater habitats in Germany and found microplastic particles, mainly fibers, in 98% of samples across all species studied. The pollution levels were substantially higher than those reported in other freshwater bird studies, likely reflecting the heavy contamination of urban waterways. Since all the investigated species are at least partially migratory, the findings suggest birds may transport microplastics over long distances.
Ingestion of Unusual Items by Wetland Birds in Urban Landscapes
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers surveyed regurgitated pellets from colonial wetland birds in two Indian cities, finding that over half of pellets in Coimbatore contained rubber bands, rubber balloons, and small plastic debris, demonstrating widespread ingestion of anthropogenic litter by urban birds.
Thrushes (Aves: Passeriformes) as indicators of microplastic pollution in terrestrial environments
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined thrushes (songbirds) as sentinel species for terrestrial microplastic pollution, finding MPs in digestive tracts of birds sampled from multiple habitats. The study supports using thrushes as bioindicators of land-based plastic contamination, given their broad distribution and feeding behaviors that bring them into contact with soil and invertebrates.
The Presence of Microplastics in the Gastrointestinal Tracts of Song Thrushes (Turdus philomelos) Wintering in Apulia (Southern Italy)—Preliminary Results
AI summary Read the abstract
Song thrushes hunted in southern Italy were found to contain microplastic fibers, films, fragments, and pellets in their digestive tracts, in a preliminary study of a migratory bird species that travels widely across Europe. The findings add to growing evidence that microplastic contamination is pervasive in terrestrial wildlife and that migratory birds may transport plastics across large geographic areas.
Microscopic anthropogenic waste ingestion by small terrestrial European passerines: evidence from finch and tit families
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined the stomachs and intestines of nine common European songbird species — finches and tits — to see how much microscopic waste they were ingesting. Of 149 birds tested, 31 contained particles including 7 confirmed microplastics (polyethylene, PET, and polystyrene), along with cellulosic fibers like cotton and rayon. Finches ingested more than tits, and ingestion rates were higher outside the breeding season. Because these small birds are prey for larger animals, they may be passing microplastics up the food chain.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.