We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Thrushes (Aves: Passeriformes) as indicators of microplastic pollution in terrestrial environments
Summary
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.
Microplastic pollution is one of the leading global conservation issues. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tracts of Common Blackbirds Turdus merula (N = 16) and Song Thrushes Turdus philomelos (N = 18), songbirds with exceptionally terrestrial lifestyles and a wide distribution range. We searched for microplastics of over 100 μm in size and assessed whether their contamination differed regarding the age of the birds and the time of year. We used birds that had died as a result of collision with anthropogenic infrastructure, which were sampled during wildlife monitoring of anthropogenic infrastructures and citizen science projects in north-eastern Poland. We found that all the analysed individuals contained microplastic in their gastrointestinal tracts, which were classified as fibers, fragments, films and pellets. A total number of 1073 microplastics were observed, mostly consisting of fibers (84 %) and films (10 %) below 1 mm in size. The dominant colours of microplastics were transparent (75 %) and brown (14 %). The species average microplastic concentration was higher in Song Thrushes (40.1) than Common Blackbirds (21.9), however the difference was not statistically significant. Moreover, we found no seasonal or age-related differences in microplastic ingestion in either species. While our results show a ubiquity of microplastics in terrestrial environments, they also indicate that thrushes have the potential to be used as indicators of microplastic pollution in terrestrial ecosystems.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
The Presence of Microplastics in the Gastrointestinal Tracts of Song Thrushes (Turdus philomelos) Wintering in Apulia (Southern Italy)—Preliminary Results
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.
Bioaccumulation of Microplastics in Thrushes: Analysis for Monitoring Environmental Quality by Comparing Different and Innovative Extraction Techniques
Researchers developed and compared two innovative, cost-effective microplastic extraction techniques for thrush bird tissue, using birds as bioindicators to monitor environmental microplastic contamination through bioaccumulation analysis.
Microplastics presence in wild bird species through an environmental forensic lens
This study examined microplastic presence in wild bird species using an environmental forensics approach, finding plastic particles across multiple bird taxa in ecosystems ranging from urban to remote. The results highlight wild birds as both sentinels of and victims of plastic pollution.
Birds as bioindicators of plastic pollution in terrestrial and freshwater environments: A 30-year review
This 30-year review of 106 studies examines how birds in freshwater and land environments are affected by plastic pollution. Most research has focused on larger plastic pieces, while microplastic exposure in these bird species is understudied and nanoplastic exposure has not been investigated at all. The authors urge researchers to develop standardized methods for measuring small plastic particles in birds, which could serve as valuable warning signs of plastic pollution across ecosystems.
Differences in microplastics in passerine feces across species, diet, and foraging location
Researchers analyzed fecal samples from five passerine bird species and found microplastics in all of them, with ground-foraging species carrying higher particle loads and insectivores ingesting more fragment-shaped particles than omnivores — suggesting that feeding behavior and habitat determine which bird species face the greatest microplastic exposure risk.