Alexei Volkov
Plastic ingestion is a significant threat to birds, with hundreds of species affected by plastic pollution. Birds mistake plastic for prey, and millions of wild birds carry small plastic loads in their stomachs. Plastic ingestion can cause physical damage to birds, such as bleeding, blockage of the digestive tract, ulcers, or perforations of the gut, leading to starvation and death. In addition, plastics introduce an array of toxic chemicals, including endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), which can have adverse effects on development, reproduction, and overall health. Young birds are particularly vulnerable to plastic ingestion, as they are fed plastic-laden prey by their parents, and may have less developed grinding action in their gizzards, leading to higher plastic loads in their bodies.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Birds mistake plastic for prey | Plastic floating on water or in sand can look like food, e.g. jellyfish, plankton |
| Plastic may develop food-like smells that attract birds | |
| Plastic is ingested by adult birds | 90% of examined Laysan albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) chicks had ingested plastic |
| Plastic load is transferred to chicks when they are fed by their parents | |
| Plastic was found in the chicks of shot-tailed shearwaters (Puffinus tenuirostris), flesh-footed shearwaters (Puffinus carneipes), Japanese quail, Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus), Great Shearwater (Puffinus gravis), and other species | |
| Plastic ingestion causes physical damage | Plastic can cut soft tissues and damage internal organs |
| Plastic can cause bleeding, blockage of the digestive tract, ulcers, or perforations of the gut | |
| Plastic reduces the storage volume of the stomach, resulting in smaller meal sizes and slower growth rate | |
| Plastic influences fat condition and body weight | |
| Plastic ingestion causes toxicological damage | Plastic contains endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) like biphenyl |
| EDCs can cause acute toxicity resulting in death, and generational impacts resulting from poor reproductive success | |
| EDCs can cause eggshell thinning, embryonic death, and chick deformities | |
| Ingested plastic can activate inflammatory responses, reduce food intake, and delay ovulation | |
| Plastic ingestion causes death | Plastic ingestion has been linked to elevated mortality in Laysan albatross chicks |
| Plastic ingestion has been observed to cause the death of countless birds every year |
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What You'll Learn
Chicks ingest plastic via their parents
Another way chicks ingest plastic via their parents is through the transfer of plastic loads. When adult birds feed their young, they pass on the plastic they have ingested from the sea. This has been observed in several bird species, including the Laysan albatross, where plastic was found in the upper gastrointestinal tract of chicks as early as the late 1980s. The incidence of plastic ingestion is often higher in juveniles compared to adults, indicating that parental feeding is a significant source of plastic ingestion in chicks.
The physical effects of plastic ingestion in chicks can include reduced stomach capacity, leading to smaller meal sizes and slower growth rates. Additionally, ingested plastic can cause internal injuries by cutting the soft tissues and damaging the organs of chicks. In some cases, plastic accumulation in the stomach can create a deceptive feeling of fullness, leading to starvation.
Furthermore, plastic ingestion by chicks can have toxicological consequences due to the introduction of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and other toxic substances. While some studies have found no evidence of lasting toxicological effects on mortality, hormone levels, or reproductive output, others have reported minor delays in growth and sexual maturity, as well as increased frequencies of male reproductive cysts. The full extent of the toxicological impacts of plastic ingestion on avian development, reproduction, and endocrine function is still not fully understood and requires further research.
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Plastic ingestion causes physical damage
Birds often mistake plastic floating on water for food, leading to ingestion. This issue has been observed more in birds than in any other animal group. In the 1980s, 90% of examined Laysan albatross chicks were found to have plastic in their upper gastrointestinal tract.
Additionally, plastic ingestion can lead to a higher concentration of toxic chemicals in birds' systems. For example, fledglings of flesh-footed shearwaters (Puffinus carneipes) in Australia were found to have higher concentrations of chromium and silver in their feathers, which may have originated from ingested plastic. Plastic can also introduce endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) into birds' bodies, causing adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, cardiovascular, metabolic, and immune effects.
Young birds are particularly vulnerable to plastic ingestion, as they are fed plastic-contaminated food by their parents, and their less developed gizzards may slow down the removal of ingested plastic. This vulnerability was observed in shot-tailed shearwaters (Puffinus tenuirostris), where juvenile birds had a higher incidence of plastic ingestion and litter count than adults.
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Plastic ingestion causes toxicological damage
Birds often mistake plastic floating on the water for food, leading to ingestion. Plastic ingestion by birds has been a growing concern, with studies reporting its adverse effects on various bird species. While some studies have found evidence of toxicological damage, others have suggested that the toxicological effects of plastic ingestion may not be as detrimental as previously thought.
Plastic Ingestion in Birds
Young birds are particularly susceptible to ingesting plastic, as they are fed by their parents, who unknowingly transfer plastic loads to their chicks. This was evident in a study of Laysan Albatross chicks, where 90% of examined chicks had plastic in their gastrointestinal tract, with higher plastic loads found in dead chicks compared to alive ones.
Toxicological Damage
The ingestion of plastic can introduce an array of toxic chemicals, including endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), into the birds' systems. EDCs have been linked to adverse effects on development, reproduction, neurology, cardiovascular function, metabolism, and immunity in mammals. In birds, EDCs can cause acute toxicity, leading to death, and generational impacts such as eggshell thinning, embryonic death, and chick deformities. Embryonic exposure to EDCs in normal chicks can also impair sexual behavior, immune systems, and thyroid function in adulthood.
Species-Specific Variations
The effects of plastic ingestion vary across different bird species. For example, a study on Japanese Quail chicks found minor delays in sexual maturity and a higher incidence of epididymal intra-epithelial cysts in males, but no significant impact on reproductive success. In contrast, ingestion of microplastics by Flesh-footed Shearwater and Japanese Quail chicks resulted in a decreased growth rate, likely due to reduced stomach capacity.
Physical Damage
In addition to toxicological concerns, plastic ingestion can cause physical damage to birds, including bleeding, blockage of the digestive tract, ulcers, or perforations of the gut. These physical effects can lead to a deceptive feeling of satiation, starvation, impaired feeding, and even direct mortality.
While the toxicological effects of plastic ingestion may not cause population-level impacts, the combined physical and toxicological consequences highlight the need for further research and measures to reduce plastic pollution and its impact on bird populations.
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Plastic ingestion causes endocrine disruption
Plastic ingestion by birds is a pressing issue, with millions of wild birds carrying small plastic loads in their stomachs. Birds often mistake plastic floating on water for food, leading to ingestion and, in some cases, death. This issue has been observed in various bird species, including albatrosses, shearwaters, and quails.
In a study on Japanese quail, it was found that plastic ingestion caused a minor delay in sexual maturity and a higher incidence of epididymal intra-epithelial cysts in males. However, there was no significant impact on reproductive success. Similarly, Flesh-footed Shearwater and Short-tailed Shearwater chicks have also exhibited reduced reproductive output due to plastic ingestion.
The endocrine-disrupting effects of plastic ingestion have been observed in multiple bird species. For example, a study on White storks in central Spain found that 3.44% of the regurgitated pellets contained plastic. While the specific endocrine effects on this species were not mentioned, it highlights the widespread presence of plastic ingestion among avian species.
Furthermore, plastics in the environment undergo chemical changes through weathering and the uptake of toxins from seawater. These toxins are believed to cause adverse health effects in birds, including endocrine disruption and reduced reproduction. The toxins associated with plastics act as magnets, attracting harmful chemicals like DDT and PCBs, which can poison birds and disrupt their endocrine systems.
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Plastic ingestion causes reproductive issues
Birds often mistake plastic floating in the ocean for food. This is particularly true of seabirds, which catch their prey by skimming the surface of the water with their beaks. Laysan albatrosses, for example, are known to inadvertently feed plastic to their chicks. The chicks are unable to regurgitate the plastic they swallow, so it fills up their stomachs.
Plastic ingestion can cause physical damage to birds, including internal bleeding, blockage of the digestive tract, ulcers, and perforations of the gut. These injuries can lead to starvation and death. Plastic ingestion has also been linked to reduced body weight, slower growth rates, and increased mortality in several bird species.
In addition to the physical effects, plastic ingestion can also have toxicological consequences. Plastics introduce an array of chemicals, including endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), into the animals that ingest them. Exposure to EDCs has been shown to cause adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, cardiovascular, metabolic, and immune effects in mammals. In birds, widespread exposure to EDCs can result in population-level effects. Observed effects of EDCs in birds include acute toxicity resulting in death, and generational impacts resulting from poor reproductive success, including eggshell thinning, embryonic death, and chick deformities.
Studies have found that chicks of Japanese Quail with observed plastic ingestion exhibited a minor delay in sexual maturity and a higher incidence of epididymal intra-epithelial cysts in males, although there was no effect on reproductive success. Similarly, the ingestion of microplastics can also reduce the reproductive output of Flesh-footed Shearwater. Ingestion of microplastics by birds can activate inflammatory responses, leading to reduced food intake, delayed ovulation, and increased mortality.
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Frequently asked questions
Birds inadvertently feed on plastic floating on the water, mistaking it for food. Plastic marine debris can look a lot like plankton, a favorite meal of many species. Plastic may also develop food-like smells that attract birds.
Plastic ingestion has been shown to cause minor delays in growth and sexual maturity in chicks. It can also cause higher frequencies of male reproductive cysts. In some cases, ingested plastic has been linked to increased mortality in chicks.
To address the issue of plastic pollution, governments should introduce legislation to control the sources of plastic debris and the use of plastic additives. Individuals can also play a role by reducing their plastic footprint and recycling plastic materials.
