Active monitoring of long-eared owl (Asio otus) nestlings reveals widespread exposure to anticoagulant rodenticides across different agricultural landscapes.

The widespread use of anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) poses a worldwide threat to farmland wildlife. These compounds accumulate in tissues of both target and non-target species, potentially endangering both direct consumers and their predators. However, investigations on ARs in blood of free-ranging predatory birds are rare. Here, the long-eared owl (Asio otus) has been used as a model predator to assess AR exposure in different agricultural landscapes from a Mediterranean semiarid region. A total of 69 owlets from 38 nests were blood-sampled over 2021 and 2022, aiming to detect AR residues and explore factors that determine their exposure, such as land uses. In addition, prothrombin time (PT) test was conducted to assess potential effects of AR contamination. Overall, nearly all the samples (98.6 %) tested positive for at least one compound and multiple ARs were found in most of the individuals (82.6 %). Among the ARs detected, flocoumafen was the most common compound (88.4 % of the samples). AR total concentration (ΣARs) in blood ranged from 0.06 to 34.18 ng mL-1, detecting the highest levels in the most intensively cultivated area. The analysis of owl pellets from 19 breeding territories showed relevant among-site differences in the contribution of rodents and birds into the diet of long-eared owls, supporting its high dietary plasticity and indicating AR presence at multiple trophic levels. Moreover, a positive and significant correlation was found between ΣARs and PT (Rho = 0.547, p < 0.001), which demonstrates the direct effect of ARs on free-living nestlings. Our results provide a preliminary overview of AR exposure in a little-studied owl species inhabiting agricultural and rural landscapes. Despite the low detected levels, these findings indicate widespread exposure -often to multiple compounds- from early life stages, which raises concern and draws attention to an ongoing and unresolved contamination issue.

Mercury Exposure in Birds of Prey from Norway: Relation to Stable Carbon and Nitrogen Isotope Signatures in Body Feathers.

Mercury (Hg) and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios were analysed in body feathers from nestlings of white-tailed eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) (WTE; n = 13) and Northern goshawks (Accipiter gentilis) (NG; n = 8) and in red blood cells (RBC) from NG (n = 11) from Norway. According to linear mixed model, species factor was significant in explaining the Hg concentration in feathers (LMM; p < 0.001, estimate (WTE) = 2.51, 95% CI = 1.26, 3.76), with concentrations higher in WTE (3.01 ± 1.34 µg g-1 dry weight) than in NG (0.51 ± 0.34 µg g-1 dry weight). This difference and the isotopic patterns for each species, likely reflect their diet, as WTE predominantly feed on a marine and higher trophic-chain diet compared to the terrestrial NG. In addition, Hg concentrations in RBCs of NG nestlings were positively correlated with feather Hg concentrations (Rho = 0.77, p = 0.03), supporting the potential usefulness of nestling body feathers to biomonitor and estimate Hg exposure. Hg levels in both species were generally below the commonly applied toxicity threshold of 5 µg g-1 in feathers, although exceeded in two WTE (6.08 and 5.19 µg g-1 dry weight).

Domestic Waste and Wastewaters as Potential Sources of Pharmaceuticals in Nestling White Storks (Ciconia ciconia).

Information on the exposure of wild birds to pharmaceuticals from wastewater and urban refuse is scarce despite the enormous amount of drugs consumed and discarded by human populations. We tested for the presence of a battery of antibiotics, NSAIDs, and analgesics in the blood of white stork (Ciconia ciconia) nestlings in the vicinity of urban waste dumps and contaminated rivers in Madrid, central Spain. We also carried out a literature review on the occurrence and concentration of the tested compounds in other wild bird species to further evaluate possible shared exposure routes with white storks. The presence of two pharmaceutical drugs (the analgesic acetaminophen and the antibiotic marbofloxacin) out of fourteen analysed in the blood of nestlings was confirmed in 15% of individuals (n = 20) and in 30% of the nests (n = 10). The apparently low occurrence and concentration (acetaminophen: 9.45 ng mL-1; marbofloxacin: 7.21 ng mL-1) in nestlings from different nests suggests the uptake through food acquired in rubbish dumps rather than through contaminated flowing water provided by parents to offspring. As with other synthetic materials, different administration forms (tablets, capsules, and gels) of acetaminophen discarded in household waste could be accidentally ingested when parent storks forage on rubbish to provide meat scraps to their nestlings. The presence of the fluoroquinolone marbofloxacin, exclusively used in veterinary medicine, suggests exposure via consumption of meat residues of treated animals for human consumption found in rubbish dumps, as documented previously at higher concentrations in vultures consuming entire carcasses of large livestock. Control measures and ecopharmacovigilance frameworks are needed to minimize the release of pharmaceutical compounds from the human population into the environment.

Differences and similarities in endothelial and angiogenic profiles of preeclampsia and COVID-19 in pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 presents a spectrum of signs and symptoms in pregnant women that might resemble preeclampsia. Differentiation between severe COVID-19 and preeclampsia is difficult in some cases. OBJECTIVE: To study biomarkers of endothelial damage, coagulation, innate immune response, and angiogenesis in preeclampsia and COVID-19 in pregnancy in addition to in vitro alterations in endothelial cells exposed to sera from pregnant women with preeclampsia and COVID-19. STUDY DESIGN: Plasma and sera samples were obtained from pregnant women with COVID-19 infection classified into mild (n=10) or severe (n=9) and from women with normotensive pregnancies as controls (n=10) and patients with preeclampsia (n=13). A panel of plasmatic biomarkers was assessed, including vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, soluble tumor necrosis factor-receptor I, heparan sulfate, von Willebrand factor antigen (activity and multimeric pattern), α2-antiplasmin, C5b9, neutrophil extracellular traps, placental growth factor, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1, and angiopoietin 2. In addition, microvascular endothelial cells were exposed to patients' sera, and changes in the cell expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 on cell membranes and von Willebrand factor release to the extracellular matrix were evaluated through immunofluorescence. Changes in inflammation cell signaling pathways were also assessed by of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation. Statistical analysis included univariate and multivariate methods. RESULTS: Biomarker profiles of patients with mild COVID-19 were similar to those of controls. Both preeclampsia and severe COVID-19 showed significant alterations in most circulating biomarkers with distinctive profiles. Whereas severe COVID-19 exhibited higher concentrations of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, soluble tumor necrosis factor-α receptor I, heparan sulfate, von Willebrand factor antigen, and neutrophil extracellular traps, with a significant reduction of placental growth factor compared with controls, preeclampsia presented a marked increase in vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and soluble tumor necrosis factor-α receptor I (significantly increased compared with controls and patients with severe COVID-19), with a striking reduction in von Willebrand factor antigen, von Willebrand factor activity, and α2-antiplasmin. As expected, reduced placental growth factor, increased soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 and angiopoietin 2, and a very high soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 to placental growth factor ratio were also observed in preeclampsia. In addition, a significant increase in C5b9 and neutrophil extracellular traps was also detected in preeclampsia compared with controls. Principal component analysis demonstrated a clear separation between patients with preeclampsia and the other groups (first and second components explained 42.2% and 13.5% of the variance), mainly differentiated by variables related to von Willebrand factor, soluble tumor necrosis factor-receptor I, heparan sulfate, and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1. Von Willebrand factor multimeric analysis revealed the absence of von Willebrand factor high-molecular-weight multimers in preeclampsia (similar profile to von Willebrand disease type 2A), whereas in healthy pregnancies and COVID-19 patients, von Willebrand factor multimeric pattern was normal. Sera from both preeclampsia and severe COVID-19 patients induced an overexpression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 and von Willebrand factor in endothelial cells in culture compared with controls. However, the effect of preeclampsia was less pronounced than the that of severe COVID-19. Immunoblots of lysates from endothelial cells exposed to mild and severe COVID-19 and preeclampsia sera showed an increase in p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation. Patients with severe COVID-19 and preeclampsia were statistically different from controls, suggesting that both severe COVID-19 and preeclampsia sera can activate inflammatory signaling pathways. CONCLUSION: Although similar in in vitro endothelial dysfunction, preeclampsia and severe COVID-19 exhibit distinctive profiles of circulating biomarkers related to endothelial damage, coagulopathy, and angiogenic imbalance that could aid in the differential diagnosis of these entities.

An endothelial proinflammatory phenotype precedes the development of the engraftment syndrome after autologous Hct.

Engraftment syndrome (ES) is a common complication after autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (auto-HCT) whose pathophysiological substrate remains unclear. We investigated whether endothelial damage could contribute to ES. Circulating ECs-damage biomarkers were measured in plasma from patients with (ES; n = 14) or without ES (non-ES; n = 20), collected at different time points: before HCT, 5 (S5) and 10 days (S10) after HCT, and at either the ES onset (SON) or the discharge day (SDIS). Also, cultured endothelial cells (ECs) were exposed to serum samples, obtained at the same points, to evaluate changes in ECs-activation (ICAM-1, VE-Cadherin) biomarkers, the reactivity of ECs towards leukocytes, and activation of intracellular signaling proteins related to inflammation (p38MAPK) and proliferation (Erk1/2). Results showed that circulating VWF, sTNFR1 and sVCAM-1 levels were higher in ES patients at all the points assessed, especially at SON. In vitro results showed an increased ICAM-1 expression on ECs exposed to ES samples vs. non-ES samples, especially to S5, with elevated leukocyte adhesion. Also, a lower VE-Cadherin expression and an increased phosphorylation of p38MAPK and Erk1/2 proteins were observed in ECs exposed to ES vs. non-ES samples. Our results indicate that endothelial activation precedes ES development and could be one of its pathophysiological substrates.

Developing a European network of analytical laboratories and government institutions to prevent poisoning of raptors.

Many cases of wildlife poisoning in Europe have been reported causing population declines, especially in raptors. Toxicovigilance and risk assessment studies are essential to reinforce the knowledge of the number of illegal poisoning cases and the substances involved in these crimes. Many researchers and projects in different institutions have suggested the creation of a network to improve communication and share information between European countries. This article presents the results of the Short-Term Scientific Mission titled "Developing a Network of Analytical Labs and Government Institutions" supported by the COST Action European Raptor Biomonitoring Facility (CA16224), which aims to initiate a network of veterinary forensic toxicology laboratories, in order to improve communication among laboratories to prevent wildlife poisoning, especially in raptors. For this purpose, a questionnaire was designed and sent by email to 119 laboratories in Europe. It contained 39 questions on different topics (e.g. laboratory activities, analytical information). A total of 29 responses were received. Most participant laboratories work on veterinary forensic toxicology research and external cases at the same time, which provides a robust overview of the actual situation in the field. Analytical techniques and data collection methods should be harmonised, and communication between laboratories is encouraged to create a more effective network. The present study established contact between laboratories as an initial step to create a European network and compiled basic data to identify strengths and weaknesses that will help harmonise methodologies across Europe and increase pan-European capacities.

Feather mercury levels in beached Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus) in northern Argentina during the non-breeding season.

Mercury (Hg) is a great concern for marine environments. Bird feathers have been widely used to assess Hg pollution. In this study, we determine mercury concentrations in body feathers of juvenile Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) from the southeastern sector of Buenos Aires province, Argentina, during a non-breeding season, considering both sexes. Hg levels, considering both females and males together, ranged between 265.5 and 1515.52 ng/g. These levels are well below the concentrations in feathers suggested for taking actions focused on the protection of seabirds. Non-significant differences between sexes regarding Hg levels were found, probably because juveniles were sexually immature and females did not excrete Hg by egg laying yet. Hg concentrations found in this study were an order of magnitude higher than those reported 10 years ago for the species in breeding areas on the Argentine coast. Thus, the present study provides relevant information indicating a possible increase of Hg pollution in the southwestern region of the Atlantic Ocean and thus trigger for the development of monitoring programs and regional strategies to improve the conservation status of this species.

A review of constraints and solutions for collecting raptor samples and contextual data for a European Raptor Biomonitoring Facility.

The COST Action 'European Raptor Biomonitoring Facility' (ERBFacility) aims to develop pan-European raptor biomonitoring in support of better chemicals management in Europe, using raptors as sentinel species. This presents a significant challenge involving a range of constraints that must be identified and addressed. The aims of this study were to: (1) carry out a comprehensive review of the constraints that may limit the gathering in the field of raptor samples and contextual data, and assess their relative importance across Europe; and (2) identify and discuss possible solutions to the key constraints that were identified. We applied a participatory approach to identify constraints and to discuss feasible solutions. Thirty-one constraints were identified, which were divided into four categories: legal, methodological, spatial coverage, and skills constraints. To assess the importance of the constraints and their possible solutions, we collected information through scientific workshops and by distributing a questionnaire to stakeholders in all the countries involved in ERBFacility. We obtained 74 answers to the questionnaire, from 24 of the 39 COST participating countries. The most important constraints identified were related to the collection of complex contextual data about sources of contamination, and the low number of existing raptor population national/regional monitoring schemes and ecological studies that could provide raptor samples. Legal constraints, such as permits to allow the collection of invasive samples, and skills constraints, such as the lack of expertise to practice necropsies, were also highlighted. Here, we present solutions for all the constraints identified, thus suggesting the feasibility of establishing a long-term European Raptor Sampling Programme as a key element of the planned European Raptor Biomonitoring Facility.

Wildlife poisoning: a novel scoring system and review of analytical methods for anticoagulant rodenticide determination.

Anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) are commonly used to control rodent populations and frequently involved in wildlife and domestic animal poisoning. These poisoning cases (especially for ARs) are a challenge for forensic toxicologists, and adequate post-mortem examination and toxicological analyses become essential for a proper diagnosis. Publications describing different analytical methods for AR analysis in biological samples are growing, and a clear compilation of the overall picture is needed to standardize methodologies in future research. This review aims to compile and compare the analytical procedures applied for AR determination in the literature. Using this information, a scoring system was developed for those techniques using liver and blood as matrices, and the techniques were ranked considering different criteria (i.e. sample amount required, recoveries, limits of quantification (LOQs), number of ARs analysed, points of the calibration curve and multi-class methods). This review shows an overview of the main methods used for AR analysis in forensic toxicology and will help to elucidate future directions to improve multi-residue techniques to detect the ARs involved in wildlife lethal poisoning.

A schematic sampling protocol for contaminant monitoring in raptors.

Birds of prey, owls and falcons are widely used as sentinel species in raptor biomonitoring programmes. A major current challenge is to facilitate large-scale biomonitoring by coordinating contaminant monitoring activities and by building capacity across countries. This requires sharing, dissemination and adoption of best practices addressed by the Networking Programme Research and Monitoring for and with Raptors in Europe (EURAPMON) and now being advanced by the ongoing international COST Action European Raptor Biomonitoring Facility. The present perspective introduces a schematic sampling protocol for contaminant monitoring in raptors. We provide guidance on sample collection with a view to increasing sampling capacity across countries, ensuring appropriate quality of samples and facilitating harmonization of procedures to maximize the reliability, comparability and interoperability of data. The here presented protocol can be used by professionals and volunteers as a standard guide to ensure harmonised sampling methods for contaminant monitoring in raptors.

Temporal Persistence of Bromadiolone in Decomposing Bodies of Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus).

Bromadiolone is a second generation anticoagulant rodenticide (SGAR) used to control pest rodents worldwide. SGARs are frequently involved in secondary poisoning in rodent predators due to their persistence and toxicity. This study aims to evaluate the persistence of bromadiolone in liver at different stages of carcass decomposition in experimentally-dosed common kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) to understand the possibility of detecting bromadiolone in cases of wildlife poisoning and the potential risk of tertiary poisoning. Twelve individuals were divided into the bromadiolone-dose group (dosed with 55 mg/kg b.w) and the control group. Hepatic bromadiolone concentrations found in each stage of decomposition were: 3000, 2891, 4804, 4245, 8848, and 756 ng/g dry weight at 1-2 h (fresh carcass), 24 h (moderate decomposition), 72 h, 96 h (advanced decomposition), seven days (very advanced decomposition), and 15 days (initial skeletal reduction) after death, respectively. Liver bromadiolone concentrations in carcasses remained relatively stable over the first four days and raised on day 7 of decomposition under the specific conditions of this experiment, presenting a risk of causing tertiary poisoning. However, at the initial skeletal reduction stage, liver bromadiolone concentration declined, which should be considered to interpret toxicological analyses and for proper diagnosis. This experimental study provides for the first time some light to better understand the degradation of SGARs in carcasses in the wild.

Mercury Exposure in Birds Linked to Marine Ecosystems in the Western Mediterranean.

Mercury (Hg), particularly as methylmercury (MeHg), is a nonessential, persistent, and bioaccumulative toxic element with high biomagnification capacity and is considered a threat to marine environments. We evaluated total Hg concentrations in liver, kidney, and brain in 62 individuals of 9 bird species linked to marine ecosystems from western Mediterranean admitted in a Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (WRC) (Alicante, Spain, 2005-2020). Age- and sex-related differences in Hg levels, as well as the cause of admission to the WRC, were also evaluated in certain species. The species studied were: northern gannet (Morus bassanus), European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis), great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), osprey (Pandion haliaetus), Balearic shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus), yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis), razorbill (Alca torda), common tern (Sterna hirundo), and black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus). Concentrations in feathers of 27 individuals, and concentrations in internal tissues in 7 other individuals of 7 different species were also reported but not statistically evaluated due to the limited number of samples. Results suggest that individuals were chronically exposed to Hg through diet. The differences in Hg concentrations among species may be explained by their diet habits. Mercury concentrations strongly correlated between tissues (r = 0.78-0.94, p < 0.001, n = 61-62). Some individuals of certain species (i.e., European shag, northern gannet, and great cormorant) showed Hg concentrations close to or above those described in the literature as causing reproductive alterations in other avian species. Consequently, certain individuals inhabiting western Mediterranean could be at risk of suffering long-term, Hg-related effects. Some of the species evaluated are listed within different categories of threat according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and are endangered at a national level, so this study will provide valuable information for assessors and authorities in charge of the management of the environment and pollution.

Validation of Multi-Residue Method for Quantification of Antibiotics and NSAIDs in Avian Scavengers by Using Small Amounts of Plasma in HPLC-MS-TOF.

Pharmaceuticals are still considered emerging pollutants affecting both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Scavenging bird species may be exposed to veterinary drugs when they feed on livestock carcasses provided at supplementary feeding stations, as these are often stocked with ailing and/or recently medicated animals. Because those animals may be a source of several different pharmaceutical compounds, analytical methods to evaluate residue levels and exposure potential should enable detection and quantification of as many different compounds as possible, preferably from small sample volumes. Four different extraction methods were tested to conduct HPLC-MS-TOF analysis of some of the most common veterinary drugs used in livestock in Spain. The method deemed most viable was a simple extraction, using methanol and 100 µL of plasma, that allowed quantification of seven antibiotics (tetracycline, oxytetracycline, ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, nalidixic acid, trimethoprim, sulfadiazine) and five nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (meloxicam, flunixin, carprofen, tolfenamic acid, phenylbutazone). The method was then applied to analysis of 29 Eurasian griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) nestling samples, wherein enrofloxacin and tolfenamic acid were most commonly detected (69% and 20%, respectively). To our knowledge, this is the first study including NSAIDs in the exposure assessment of different classes of veterinary pharmaceuticals in live avian scavengers.

Mercury and Organochlorine Pesticides in Tissues of Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta) Stranded Along the Southwestern Mediterranean Coastline (Andalusia, Spain).

Nineteen loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) stranded along the southwestern Mediterranean coastline (Andalusia) were used in this study. A total of 68 samples of fat (n = 18), liver (n = 15), kidney (n = 13), pectoral muscle (n = 19), and brain (n = 3) were analysed for total mercury (Hg) and organochlorine pesticides [OC: ∑Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (∑DDT), ∑Hexachlorocyclohexane (∑HCH), ∑Heptachlor, ∑Drins and ∑Endosulfan]. These loggerhead sea turtles showed tissue Hg and OC concentrations similar to or lower than those reported in other studies. Few growth-related variations in Hg or OC levels in relation to straight carapace length were found, probably because the specimens were mostly juveniles. This study will help to fill the gap on spatio-temporal exposure data and ascertain the real world-wide picture of the contamination levels in loggerhead sea turtles.

Conditioned food aversion in domestic dogs induced by thiram.

BACKGROUND: The conflict between predators and humans for resources such as game species or livestock is an ancient issue, and it is especially sharp in the case of medium-large wild canids. In order to manage this conflict, lethal control methods are often used, which can sometimes be illegal, such as poisoning. As an alternative, conditioned food aversion (CFA) is a non-lethal method to reduce predation in which animals learn to avoid a given food due to the adverse effects caused by the ingestion of an undetectable chemical compound added to this food. The present study aimed to test thiram as a CFA agent in penned dogs as a first approach to use this substance for reducing the predation conflict associated with wild canids. RESULTS: Thiram, with or without an additional odor cue, produced CFA in penned dogs for more than 2 months. Moreover, thiram seemed to be undetectable and safe after the third ingestion of a 40-60 mg kg-1 dose. Desirable adverse effects, such as vomits, appeared around 1 h after exposure. These characteristics make thiram optimal for its use in predation reduction through CFA. However, individual variability could prevent CFA acquisition by some animals. CONCLUSIONS: Thiram has the potential to be used as a CFA agent in wildlife management and conservation to reduce predation by wild canids. Since thiram produced CFA without the problems of detectability and toxicity caused by other substances, it may be an alternative to lethal control methods used to reduce predation on game, livestock and endangered species. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Correction to: Progress on bringing together raptor collections in Europe for contaminant research and monitoring in relation to chemicals regulation.

The correct affiliation of Sabrina Lo Brutto is shown in this paper.

Selection of new chemicals to be used in conditioned aversion for non-lethal predation control.

Globally, native predators and scavengers are threatened through the incidence of illegal poisoning due to increasing human-wildlife conflicts. The use of conditioned taste aversion (CTA) may mitigate such conflicts. CTA is a robust learning paradigm that occurs when animals associate a food with a discomfort induced by a chemical, thereby avoiding that food in subsequent encounters. We reviewed the potential of 167 chemical compounds to be used in CTA, considering effects, margin of safety, accessibility, and detectability. After the review, 15 compounds fulfilled the required characteristics, but only five (thiabendazole, thiram, levamisole, fluconazole and fluralaner) were finally selected to be tested in CTA assays with dogs. Of the tested compounds, thiabendazole, thiram and levamisole caused target food rejection by dogs and reduced the time spent eating during post-conditioning. However, despite being microencapsulated, levamisole appeared to be detectable by dogs, whereas thiram and thiabendazole were not. Fluconazole and fluralaner did not produce any CTA effect. Thiabendazole, thiram and levamisole can therefore induce CTA, and thus are potential candidates as aversive compounds for wildlife management. Thiram is an undetectable, relatively safe and accessible compound that can induce CTA in canids, and opens new possibilities to develop methods of non-lethal predation control.

Spatiotemporal variations of organochlorine pesticides in an apex predator: Influence of government regulations and farming practices.

BACKGROUND: Intensification of agricultural practices has caused several negative effects to the environment. The use of fertilizers and pesticides may alter geochemical cycles or cause direct wildlife intoxication. Detrimental effects of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) have forced the authorities to ban or restrict its use. This study evaluates the variation in levels of OCPs in a sentinel species in relation to changes in government regulations and the spatial configuration of agricultural practices around the nests. METHODS: Between 2003 and 2007, we analysed OCP levels in 256 blood samples of Eurasian Eagle-owl (Bubo bubo) chicks nesting in area of intensive commercial agriculture with historical frequent use of pesticides, in South-eastern Spain. We studied year-to-year variations in OCP concentrations and their relation with land use configuration around raptor nests by Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMM). RESULTS: OCPs were detected in 100% samples surveyed in 2003 and 2004, while dropped to 27% in 2005, 6.8% in 2006 and 6.3% in 2007, coinciding with the ban of OCPs. The presence of the main OCPs was related to agricultural practices. In particular, endosulfan and lindane were related to irrigated crops and urban areas, while DDT-related compounds and dieldrin were associated with dry land farming. CONCLUSIONS: OCP concentrations in blood samples of Eurasian Eagle-owls may respond quickly to the implementations of new regulations about the use of agricultural products. This raptor was confirmed as a good sentinel species allowing rapid detection of changes in pesticides use.

Mercury in the feathers of bird scavengers from two areas of Patagonia (Argentina) under the influence of different anthropogenic activities: a preliminary study.

Mercury (Hg) is a global pollutant that bioaccumulates and biomagnifies in food chains and is associated with adverse effects in both humans and wildlife. We used feather samples from bird scavengers to evaluate Hg concentrations in two different areas of Northern Patagonia. Hg concentrations were analyzed in feathers obtained from turkey vultures (Cathartes aura), Black Vultures (Coragyps atratus), and southern crested caracaras (Caracara plancus) from the two areas of Northern Patagonia (Argentina): Bariloche and El Valle. Hg was detected in all the samples analyzed, but the concentrations can be considered low for the three species in both sampling areas. The mean concentration of Hg in Bariloche was 0.22 ± 0.16 mg/kg dry weight (d.w.) in black vulture, 0.13 ± 0.06 mg/kg d.w. in turkey vulture, and 0.13 ± 0.09 mg/kg d.w. in southern crested caracara; in El Valle, the mean concentration of Hg was 1.02 ± 0.89 mg/kg d.w. in black vulture, 0.53 ± 0.82 mg/kg d.w. in turkey vulture, and 0.54 ± 0.74 mg/kg d.w. in southern crested caracara. Hg concentrations in feathers were explained by the sampling area but not by the species. The concentrations of Hg contamination were comparable to those obtained in other studies of terrestrial raptors and aquatic bioindicator raptors. The species of the present study occur throughout much of North and South America. Thus, they may be appropriate bioindicators across the species' range, which is particularly useful as a surrogate, especially in distribution areas shared with endangered scavengers such as the California condor (Gymnopsys californianus) and the Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus).