| Patuxent Science Meeting 2006 Poster Abstract |
| | Effects of methyl mercury on reproduction in American Kestrels |
| | Albers PH, Koterba MT, Rossmann R, Link WA, French JB, Bennett RS, Bauer |
| | Sixty breeding pairs of captive American kestrels (Falco sparverius) were exposed to a range of |
| | sub-lethal dietary concentrations of MeHg in the diet and their subsequent reproduction was |
| | measured. Egg production, incubation performance, and the number of eggs hatched |
| | decreased markedly between 3.3 and 4.6 ppm MeHg dry weight in the diet. The percent of |
| | eggs hatched declined between 0.7 and 2 ppm MeHg dry weight in the diet and further declined |
| | to almost total hatching failure between 3.3 and 4.6 ppm. The number of fledglings and the |
| | percent of nestlings fledged were markedly reduced at 0.7 ppm MeHg dry weight in the diet and |
| | began a final sharp decline between 2 and 3.3 ppm. Dietary concentrations of >4.6 ppm MeHg |
| | dry weight were associated with total fledging failure. The observed decline in number of fledged |
| | young per pair (-41%) for kestrels consuming 0.7 ppm MeHg raises concerns about population |
| | maintenance in areas subject to high inputs of anthropogenic Hg. |
| | Friday, September 22, 2006 |