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Plastic ingestion by seabirds in New Caledonia, South Pacific
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Researchers examined stomach contents of 90 seabirds from 12 species in New Caledonia and found plastic debris in 14.4% of individuals, with the highest rates in procellariids (petrels and shearwaters), providing the first plastic ingestion baseline for this Pacific island region.
The accumulation of plastic pollutants in marine environments has many adverse effects on wildlife. In particular, marine predators are often exposed to accidental plastic ingestion, that may negatively affect survival due to the concentration of debris in the digestive tract. Among the species most vulnerable to plastic ingestion, seabirds are of major interest for conservation because of their wide foraging areas, long generation time and extended lifespan. We analysed stomach contents of 90 seabird specimens from 12 different species collected in New Caledonia to assess the local prevalence of plastic ingestion. Overall, we found plastic debris in 14.4% of sampled individuals, exclusively in procellariids: Gould's Petrel (41.2%, highest incidence), Tahiti Petrel (33.3%) and Wedge-tailed Shearwater (7.7%). To our knowledge, this study is the first characterization of plastic ingestion in seabirds from New Caledonia and our results show an overall lower ingestion prevalence compared to other assessments in the tropical Pacific.
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Plastic ingestion in seabirds of the western Indian Ocean
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Researchers examined stomach contents of 222 seabirds from nine species in the western Indian Ocean and found plastic in all species, with tropical shearwaters (79%) and Barau's petrels (59%) most affected, and juvenile birds carrying significantly greater plastic mass than adults, indicating regional ocean plastic pollution and age-dependent exposure risks.
Plastic debris ingestion by seabirds on the Korean Peninsula
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Researchers examined plastic ingestion in 387 seabirds of 11 species on the Korean Peninsula and found the highest frequency in Swinhoe's storm petrels (93.7%), with plastic characteristics varying by species feeding ecology, providing baseline data for monitoring marine debris impacts in East Asian waters.
Frequency of plastic occurrence varies across phylogeny but not ecology in seabirds.
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Researchers examined plastic ingestion records from over 93,000 seabirds across 240 species. Plastic was found in 76% of species, with pelicans most affected and penguins least affected. A bird's family group, rather than its diet, feeding method, or body size, best predicted whether plastic was found.
Prevalência e tipos de plásticos em Albatrozes e Petréis (aves: procellariiformes)
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Researchers quantified and classified plastic debris in Procellariiformes seabirds — albatrosses and petrels — found on Brazilian beaches, finding plastic ingestion in multiple species. These ocean-going birds are among the most vulnerable to plastic pollution because they feed from the ocean surface where plastics concentrate.
Microplastic ingestion: Are seabirds more affected than other marine species?
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This review examines whether seabirds ingest plastic more frequently than other marine species, finding they are among the most affected groups with high rates of plastic ingestion documented across species. The review discusses factors including foraging behavior, habitat, and ocean plastic concentrations that explain why seabirds are particularly vulnerable.
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.