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title: "Mercury levels in Short-tailed Shearwaters"
---

# Mercury levels in Short-tailed Shearwaters

Yutaka Watanuki ([Graduate School of Fisheries Sciences](http://www2.fish.hokudai.ac.jp/modules/top_en/), Hokkaido University, Hokodate, Japan) and colleagues have written in in the [*Journal of Ornithology*](http://link.springer.com/journal/10336)on mercury levels in Short-tailed Shearwaters *Puffinus tenuirostris*.

 The paper’s abstract follows:

 “We measured mercury concentrations ([Hg]) and nitrogen stable isotope ratios (δ15N) in the primary feathers of Short-tailed Shearwaters (*Puffinus tenuirostris*) that were tracked year-round.  The [Hg] were highest in 14 birds that used the Okhotsk and northern Japan Seas during the non-breeding period (2.5 ± 1.4 μg/g), lowest in nine birds that used the eastern Bering Sea (0.8 ± 0.2 μg/g), and intermediate in five birds that used both regions (1.0 ± 0.5 μg/g), with no effects of δ15N.  The results illustrate that samples from seabirds can provide a useful means of monitoring pollution at a large spatial scale.”

 ![](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Shearwaters/Short_tailed/short_tailed_shearwater_mark_carey.jpg)

 Short-tailed Shearwater, photograph by Mark Carey 

 **Reference:**

 Watanuki, Y., Yamamoto, T., Yamashita, A., Ishii, C., Ikenaka, Y., Nakayama, S.M.M., Ishizuka, M., Suzuki, Y., Niizuma, Y., Meathrel, C.E. & Phillips, R.A. 2015.  Mercury concentrations in primary feathers reflect pollutant exposure in discrete non-breeding grounds used by Short-tailed Shearwaters. [*Journal of Ornithology* DOI .10.1007/s10336-015-1205-6](http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10336-015-1205-6).

 *John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 31 March 2015*