Mercury concentrations in feathers of Common Swifts (Apus apus).

Mercury (Hg) has been well studied as a bioaccumulated contaminant in aquatic ecosystems worldwide. It has been found to have negative effects on carnivorous and piscivorous bird species with the highest Hg concentrations at the top of the food chain. The objective of this study was to increase our knowledge of mercury exposure in insectivorous birds, especially in a species of the family Apodidae.