Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the digestive organs of little egret (Egretta garzetta) in Tanjung Rejo Village, Deli Serdang District, North Sumatra, Indonesia

Microplastics were found in the digestive organs of little egrets (Egretta garzetta) in North Sumatra, Indonesia, with fibers being the dominant shape, indicating that even wading birds in Indonesian coastal wetlands are accumulating plastic pollution through their diet.

2025 Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in waterbirds and their habitats: evidence from little egrets (Egretta garzetta) in tropical rice fields

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in little egrets and their rice field habitats in tropical southern China. They found microplastics in water, sediment, feathers, and fecal samples, with fiber-shaped particles being the most common type. The study suggests that waterbirds can serve as useful indicators of microplastic pollution levels in agricultural wetland environments.

2025 Environmental Research 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of microplastics in gastrointestinal tract of cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) from a metropolitan city Lahore, Pakistan

Researchers examined the gastrointestinal tracts of cattle egrets from Lahore, Pakistan, and found significant levels of microplastics, with sheets and fibers being the most abundant types. Chemical analysis identified polyvinyl alcohol, polyisobutylene, and polyaramid as the main polymer compounds present. The findings indicate that even semi-aquatic bird species in urban environments are accumulating concerning levels of microplastic contamination.

2024 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 3 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Species-specific accumulation of microplastics in different bird species from South China: A comprehensive analysis

Across 24 bird species in South China, insectivorous birds accumulated significantly more small microplastics (under 0.1 mm) than other feeding guilds, while piscivorous birds accumulated more large microplastics (over 1 mm). Diet source was a stronger predictor of microplastic contamination than trophic level or body weight, with polypropylene and PET as the dominant polymer types found.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation of Microplastic in Pellets from the Selected Piscivorous Bird Along the Wetlands of Coimbatore City in Tamil Nadu State of India

Researchers examined regurgitated pellets from Common Kingfishers along Indian wetlands and detected polyethylene and polypropylene microplastic fibers in 26% of pellets, providing the first evidence of microplastic ingestion by this piscivorous bird species in southern India and highlighting contamination within freshwater food webs.

2024 Pollution Research
Article Tier 2

Urban waterbirds shifting microplastics

Researchers found microplastics in the feces of two urban waterbird species in Kerala, India, with polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene being the most common types. Both juvenile and adult birds were affected equally, suggesting that waterbirds can transport microplastics through ecosystems and serve as indicators of local plastic waste levels in freshwater environments.

2025 Environmental Challenges 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic accumulation in the gastrointestinal tracts in birds of prey in central Florida, USA

Microplastics were found in the gastrointestinal tracts of all 63 birds of prey examined from eight species in central Florida, with an average of nearly 12 plastic pieces per bird and microfibers making up 86% of the total. Processed cellulose was the most common material identified, followed by PET and a polyamide blend.

2020 Environmental Pollution 266 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Digestive System of Little-black cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris) in Pulau Rambut Sanctuary

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in the digestive system of Little-black cormorants (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris) at Pulau Rambut Wildlife Sanctuary in Jakarta Bay, detecting 16 microplastic particles per sampled bird (estimated 320 particles/bird) with film-type particles dominant (75%) and sizes mostly between 100-1000 micrometers.

2022 IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Quantification in Aquatic Birds: Biomonitoring the Environmental Health of the Panjkora River Freshwater Ecosystem in Pakistan

Researchers raised ducks on the banks of the Panjkora River in Pakistan for over four months to assess microplastic contamination in a freshwater ecosystem through biomonitoring. They found microplastics present in the gastrointestinal tracts of all sampled birds, with fibers and fragments being the most common types, primarily composed of polyethylene and polypropylene. The study demonstrates that aquatic birds can serve as effective biological indicators of microplastic pollution levels in river systems.

2023 Toxics 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic accumulation in the gastrointestinal tracts of nestling and adult migratory birds

Researchers examined microplastic accumulation in the gastrointestinal tracts of both nestling and adult migratory birds across six species, finding widespread plastic ingestion with fibers predominating, suggesting that microplastic exposure begins early in avian life stages.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 89 citations
Article Tier 2

How do life history and behaviour influence plastic ingestion risk in Canadian freshwater and terrestrial birds?

Researchers examined 457 wild birds in Canada and found that about 5% had visible plastic debris in their digestive tracts, with non-raptor species being nine times more likely to ingest plastic than raptors. When they looked more closely at raptor intestines, they found microplastic particles in all 54 birds tested, even though few had larger plastic pieces. The study identifies certain bird species as potential sentinels for monitoring microplastic pollution in freshwater and land environments.

2024 Environmental Pollution 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation of Microplastic Accumulation in the Gastrointestinal Tract in Birds of Prey

Microplastics and plastic-associated pollutants were found in the gastrointestinal tracts of birds of prey, confirming that plastic contamination is transferring up food chains to apex predators. This raises concerns about endocrine disruption and toxic accumulation in wildlife and potentially humans.

2019 Journal of International Crisis and Risk Communication Research 2 citations
Article Tier 2

High microplastic pollution in birds of urban waterbodies revealed by non-invasively collected faecal samples

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.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Accumulation of microplastics in predatory birds near a densely populated urban area

Researchers found microplastics in every single digestive tract examined from four species of predatory birds near a major city, and 65% also had microplastics in their respiratory systems. On average, each bird contained about 8 microplastic particles, mostly fibers, likely ingested through contaminated prey. This is the first study to document microplastic contamination in the breathing organs of birds of prey, showing how plastic pollution moves up the food chain.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Ingestion of Unusual Items by Wetland Birds in Urban Landscapes

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.

2020 Current Science 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of microplastics in pellets from the common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) along the Ticino River, North Italy

Researchers found microplastics in regurgitated pellets of the common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) collected along the Ticino River in North Italy, examining 133 pellets between March and October 2019 to provide rare data on plastic ingestion by freshwater bird species.

2020 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 66 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing plastic ingestion in the White stork (Ciconia ciconia) through regurgitated pellets

Researchers collected and analyzed regurgitated pellets from a white stork colony in central Spain to assess plastic and microplastic ingestion levels and their relationship to landfill use. About 3.44% of pellet content consisted of plastic, confirming that storks feeding at landfills ingest meaningful quantities of plastic materials, with chemical composition analysis identifying the polymer types involved.

2025 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Tracing microplastics in environmental sources and migratory shorebirds along the Central Asian Flyway

Researchers tracked microplastic contamination along migratory bird routes in central Asia, testing mudflats, mangroves, and the birds themselves. They found microplastics in both the environment and the digestive tracts of shorebirds, showing that these pollutants are moving through coastal food webs and may be carried across continents by migrating birds.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics analysis in the gills and gastrointestinal tract of fishermen’s catch at Belawan River North Sumatera, Indonesia

Researchers analyzed microplastics in the gills and gastrointestinal tracts of 93 fish specimens across five species collected from Belawan River, North Sumatra, finding 134 total microplastic particles dominated by fibers, fragments, and films in colors including black, green, blue, orange, brown, and red, with Plotosus canius showing the highest abundance at 12 particles per individual.

2024 IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science
Article Tier 2

Analysis of abundance of microplastic in fish caught in Percut Waters

Researchers analyzed the abundance of microplastics in fish caught in Percut Waters along the coast of North Sumatra, finding that microplastics have accumulated in fish tissues as a result of anthropogenic activities in the area. The study contributes to understanding the extent of microplastic contamination in coastal fisheries of Indonesia.

2024 DEPIK
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in the pellets of the Egyptian vultures (Neophron percnopterus) as terrestrial bioindicators across contrasting landscapes in Türkiye

Researchers examined regurgitated pellets from Egyptian vultures across two regions of Türkiye and found microplastics in 93% of them, with fibers and PET (the plastic in drink bottles) being the most common types. The findings suggest these endangered birds can serve as living monitors for land-based microplastic pollution, reflecting contamination moving through the food chain.

2025 Environmental Sciences Europe
Article Tier 2

Prey choice and ingestion of microplastics by common shelducks and common eiders in the Wadden Sea World Heritage Site

Researchers found microplastic contamination in over 92% of stomach samples and 74–86% of fecal samples from common eiders and common shelducks in the Wadden Sea, with plastic filaments under 5mm dominating, suggesting widespread and near-universal ingestion by these coastal seabirds.

2023 Marine Biology 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastics and other anthropogenic debris in freshwater birds from Canada.

This study quantified plastic debris ingestion in 17 freshwater and one marine bird species across Canada, finding that over 11% of individuals had ingested anthropogenic debris. The results show that plastic pollution in freshwater environments affects birds at rates comparable to marine species, highlighting the need to extend plastic pollution monitoring beyond the ocean.

2016 The Science of the total environment
Article Tier 2

Presence of plastic particles in waterbirds faeces collected in Spanish lakes

Researchers analyzed feces from three waterbird species (coot, mallard, shelduck) at five inland wetlands in Spain, finding plastic debris in 44–60% of individuals, suggesting that freshwater waterfowl ingest plastic at frequencies comparable to marine seabirds, likely from agricultural plastic debris surrounding the lakes.

2016 Environmental Pollution 104 citations