The Concentration of Heavy Metals Within Bird Feathers of Neotropical Migrants Found on Loyola’s Lakeshore Campus

This presentation explores the relationship between heavy metal concentration in birds and migratory season. Over the course of three migration seasons, birds were collected from window strike fatalities across campus in collaboration with Student Operation for Avian Relief. Feathers from these individuals were tested using ICP-MS for their heavy metal load. They were tested for metals that are known to have adverse effects on avian health. Significant differences in metal loads were found between species, metal concentration and migratory season. The findings indicate similar testing could be done to identify potential metal pollution hot spots.