Lead poisoning of a marbled godwit

L. N. Locke; M. R. Smith; R. M. Windingstad; S. J. Martin

Home/Archive/USGS

USGS · 1004067

Lead poisoning of a marbled godwit

L. N. Locke·M. R. Smith·R. M. Windingstad·S. J. Martin

View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

A thin adult female marbled godwit ( Limosa fedoa ) found dead at Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Montana, was found to have 17 ingested lead shot in its gizzard. Its liver contained 51.7 ppm lead (wet weight). Based on these necropsy findings a diagnosis of lead poisoning was made.

Explore related subjects

The Prairie Naturalist Article

Source-reported bounding extent: 47.611718174784954° to 47.706527200903395° latitude; -111.42196655273438° to -111.25957489013672° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeX RIS

L. N. Locke, M. R. Smith, R. M. Windingstad, S. J. Martin. 1991. Lead poisoning of a marbled godwit. https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/1004067

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related USGS reports

USGS2019

Age and growth of cottonwood trees along the Missouri River, North Dakota

The relict plains cottonwood ( Populus deltoides subsp. monilifera ) forest along the Missouri River between Lakes Sakakawea and Oahe includes trees as large as two meters in diameter. We cored 24 of these trees to determine their age and suitability for flow reconstruction. Because most of the trees were rotten in the center, we developed a method to estimate the date of the center ring that accounts for the increase in ring width toward the center. Estimated center ring dates were as early as 1806. Cottonwood growth at a dry site was correlated with April–August flow prior to construction of Lake Sakakawea (1929–1953; r = 0.50, P = 0.011) and to Palmer Drought Severity Index following construction (1954–2014; r = 0.38, P = 0.003). We conclude that cottonwood rings can be used to improve reconstructions of Missouri River flows before the beginning of stream-gage records.

North Dakota↗

USGS2016

Mink predation on brown trout in a Black Hills stream

In the early 2000’s, declines in the brown trout (Salmo trutta) fishery in Rapid Creek, South Dakota, caused concern for anglers and fisheries managers. We conducted a radio telemetry study in 2010 and 2011 to identify predation mortality associated with mink, using hatchery-reared (2010) or wild (2011) brown trout. Estimated predation rates by mink (Mustela vison) on radio-tagged brown trout were 30% for hatchery fish and 32% for wild fish. Size frequency analysis revealed that the size distribution of brown trout lost to predation was similar to that of other, radio-tagged brown trout. In both years, a higher proportion of predation mortality (83–92%) occurred during spring, consistent with seasonal fish consumption by mink. Predation by mink appeared to be a significant source of brown trout mortality in our study.

South Dakota↗

USGS2015

The effect of weather on morphometric traits of juvenile cliff swallows

Episodes of food deprivation may change how nestling birds allocate energy to the growth of skeletal and feather morphological traits during development. Cliff swallows ( Petrochelidon pyrrhonota ) are colonial, insectivorous birds that regularly experience brief periods of severe weather-induced food deprivation during the nesting season which may affect offspring development. We investigated how annual variation in timing of rearing and weather were associated with length of wing and tail, skeletal traits, and body mass in juvenile cliff swallows reared in southwestern Nebraska during 2001–2006. As predicted under conditions of food deprivation, nestling skeletal and feather measurements were generally smaller in cooler years. However, variability explained by weather was small, suggesting that morphometric traits of juvenile cliff swallows were not highly sensitive to weather conditions experienced during this study. Measurements of juvenile morphological traits were positively correlated with measurements taken as adults, meaning that any variation among juveniles in response to rearing conditions showed evidence of persisting into a bird’s first breeding season. Our results show that body size in this species is phenotypically plastic and influenced, in part, by weather variables.

Nebraska↗