Ingestion of Unusual Items by Wetland Birds in Urban Landscapes

In view of the variety of waste items casually disposed off by humans, a survey was conducted in two cities, Indore and Coimbatore, in roosting sites of colonial birds looking for unusual items in their food. Of the 891 regurgitated pellets of birds examined, about 53% in Coimbatore and 14% in Indore contained rubber bands, rubber balloons and small plastic debris. Rubber bands (95.3%), balloon (2.35%), plastic bits (1.41%) and plastic cap (0.94%) were found in the pellets. Among the rubber bands, red was the predominant colour (73.1%) followed by green (25%) and yellow (1.9%). These findings show that the birds misjudge an artefact as natural prey. The highly corroded rubber bands indicate the leaching of chemicals (like plasticizers and bisphenols), many of which are potential endocrine disruptors. The potential hazard from such leachable contaminants needs to be further studied. The present study also highlights the need for managing such deceptive wastes cautiously to safeguard wildlife.