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20 resultsShowing papers similar to Microplastic ingestion by common terns (Sterna hirundo) and their prey during the non-breeding season
ClearDynamics of microplastic transfer through the food web in a migratory seabird
Researchers studied how microplastics transfer through the food web by analyzing prey fish regurgitated by Common terns, a migratory seabird, in an estuary near urban areas. They found microplastic fibers in the majority of the fish examined, with contamination levels varying throughout the breeding season. The findings provide evidence that microplastics accumulate in prey species and can be passed up the food chain to top predators in polluted estuarine environments.
Incidence of microplastic fiber ingestion by Common Terns (Sterna hirundo) and Roseate Terns (S. dougallii) breeding in the Northwestern Atlantic
Researchers documented microplastic fiber ingestion in Common Terns and Roseate Terns breeding in the Northwestern Atlantic, finding that most ingested particles were synthetic fibers and that microplastic load varied between species and age classes.
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.
The hidden cost of following currents: Microplastic ingestion in a planktivorous seabird
Researchers documented microplastic ingestion in Mediterranean storm petrels, finding that these planktivorous seabirds ingest microplastics while foraging in pelagic areas where plastic debris accumulates alongside their planktonic prey in ocean currents.
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.
Exposure to microplastics by pelagic and coastal seabirds from temperate and tropical environments
Researchers examined microplastic exposure in pelagic and coastal seabird species from temperate and tropical marine environments, using the birds' broad spatial distribution and feeding behavior to assess microplastic distribution and concentration patterns across oceanic regions.
Microfibers in the Diet of a Highly Aerial Bird, the Common Swift Apus apus
Researchers analyzed fecal samples from Common swifts and found that roughly one-third of nestlings and half of adults had ingested anthropogenic fibers, including microplastic fibers made of PET and cellophane. The findings suggest that airborne microplastics can be passively consumed during aerial feeding and may be transferred from adult birds to their offspring through food.
Microplastics and the Impact of Plastic on Wildlife: A Literature Review
This review synthesizes evidence on microplastic ingestion and accumulation in seabirds and wildlife, examining the pathways by which microplastics move through marine food webs and the potential physiological harm to upper-trophic predators.
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.
Microscopic anthropogenic waste ingestion by small terrestrial European passerines: evidence from finch and tit families
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.
Characterization of Plastics Ingested by the Bioindicator Cory’s Shearwater from Tenerife Island (Canary Islands): Implications for Marine Environmental Monitoring
Researchers characterised 674 plastic items found in the stomachs of Cory's shearwater fledglings from the Canary Islands, finding that ingested plastics were predominantly large microplastics (1-5 mm, 82%) with threadlike morphology, and that the birds serve as effective bioindicators of marine plastic pollution in the eastern Atlantic.
Marine debris ingestion by adults and fledglings of Swinhoe's storm petrels in the Republic of Korea
Researchers analyzed stomach contents of stranded Swinhoe's storm petrel carcasses from a Korean breeding colony and found that both adults and fledglings ingested predominantly microplastics, with juveniles consuming more plastic by weight than adults and the two age groups ingesting different particle shapes, suggesting separate foraging behaviors.
Availability and assessment of microplastic ingestion by marsh birds in Mississippi Gulf Coast tidal marshes
Microplastics were found in the gastrointestinal tracts of marsh birds from tidal marshes along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, with ingestion rates and particle types reflecting both direct feeding on contaminated prey and incidental consumption from the environment.
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.
Trophic transfer of microplastics in Phalacrocorax auritus (Double-Crested Cormorants) and fish in Lake Champlain
This study investigated trophic transfer of microplastics from invertebrates and fish to double-crested cormorants in Lake Champlain, finding microplastics at all trophic levels including in the birds. The results confirm that microplastics move up the food chain and accumulate in top predators, with implications for wildlife health and human consumers of fish.
Size and dynamics of microplastic in gastrointestinal tracts of Northern Fulmars ( Fulmarus glacialis ) and Sooty Shearwaters ( Ardenna grisea )
Researchers examined microplastic in the gastrointestinal tracts of 143 Northern Fulmars and 25 Sooty Shearwaters stranded on Oregon and Washington beaches, finding plastic in 89.5% and 64% of birds respectively, with larger particles concentrated in the stomach's upper chamber and no significant reduction in plastic load in birds held in a plastic-free rehabilitation environment for up to seven days.
Micro-and macro-plastics in marine species from Nordic waters
This study surveyed micro- and macro-plastic contamination in marine species collected from Nordic waters, finding plastic in fish, crustaceans, and seabirds from multiple locations. The results document the geographic extent of microplastic ingestion across commercially and ecologically important Nordic marine species.
From prey to predators: Evidence of microplastic trophic transfer in tuna and large pelagic species in the southwestern Tropical Atlantic
Researchers found evidence of microplastic trophic transfer from prey to tuna and large pelagic predators in the southwestern Tropical Atlantic, demonstrating that plastic contamination moves through marine food chains to economically important fish species.
Seabirds from the poles: microplastics pollution sentinels
Researchers reviewed four decades of studies on microplastic ingestion by seabirds in Arctic and Antarctic regions, covering at least 13 species. They found that polar seabirds regularly ingest microplastics, with polyethylene being the most common type detected. The study highlights that even some of the most remote ecosystems on Earth are not immune to plastic pollution.
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.