AI Article Synopsis
- Birds are affected by plastic pollution through entanglement, ingestion, and chemical exposure, but they also use plastics for nesting.
- A study examined 36 nests of the crested oropendola in the Amazon, finding plastics in 67% of abandoned nests, with all nests at one mangrove site containing plastic.
- The main plastics were blue fibers and ropes, mostly from fishing gear, with a high composition of Polyethylene and a significant presence of Cobalt Phthalocyanine, raising concerns about contamination risks for the birds.
Article Abstract
Birds have been impacted by plastic pollution via entanglement, accidental ingestion, and exposure to chemical contaminants. However, plastics were also observed as a nesting material for several species. For the first time, we describe the occurrence and composition of plastics in 36 nests of the crested oropendola (Psarocolius decumanus) in three different sites on the Amazon coast. Plastics were present in 67 % of abandoned, fallen nests. At the mangrove site, all nests contained plastics, while at the grassy clearing and the fishermen's village, plastics were present at 35.3 and 90 % of the nests, respectively. Blue fibers and ropes were the main plastics observed, probably derived from discarded fishing gear. Of 79 analyzed fibers, 97.5 % were composed of Polyethylene, and 83.5 % contained Cobalt Phthalocyanine as an additive. Our results showed a widespread use of plastics by P. decumanus, which may increase the exposure of both juveniles and adults to potential contaminants.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116695 | DOI Listing |
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