Title
Lead Poisoning in Bald Eagles Admitted to Wildlife Rehabilitation Facilities in Iowa, 2004–2014
Campus Units
Statistics, Veterinary Clinical Sciences
Document Type
Article
Publication Version
Published Version
Publication Date
12-2017
Journal or Book Title
Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management
Volume
8
Issue
2
First Page
465
Last Page
473
DOI
10.3996/122015-JFWM-124
Abstract
Eleven years (2004–2014) of bald eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus data from four independent, state and federally permitted wildlife rehabilitators in Iowa were assessed for the prevalence of elevated lead levels in blood or tissue samples. The relationship between blood lead concentrations and recorded information (age, season, radiographs, and clinical outcome) was investigated. Adult birds had higher blood lead concentrations than immature and juvenile birds. Highest blood lead levels were found during October–January. Bald eagles with positive radiographs for metallic opacities in the digestive tract had higher blood and tissue lead concentrations than those with negative results or those on which no radiograph was performed. Metallic opacities were identified through necropsy. Bald eagles with elevated levels of lead were associated with poor clinical outcomes, indicating that blood lead concentrations could be used as a predictor of clinical outcome.
Rights
All material appearing in the Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission unless specifically noted with the copyright symbol ©. Citation of the source, as given above, is requested.
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Yaw, Taylor; Neumann, Kay; Bernard, Linette; Cancilla, Jodeane; Evans, Terese; Martin-Schwarze, Adam; and Zaffarano, Bianca, "Lead Poisoning in Bald Eagles Admitted to Wildlife Rehabilitation Facilities in Iowa, 2004–2014" (2017). Veterinary Clinical Sciences Publications. 16.
https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/vcs_pubs/16
Included in
Poultry or Avian Science Commons, Statistical Methodology Commons, Veterinary Physiology Commons, Veterinary Toxicology and Pharmacology Commons
Comments
This article is published as Yaw T, Neumann K, Bernard L, Cancilla J, Evans T, Martin-Schwarze A, Zaffarano B. 2017. Lead poisoning in bald eagles admitted to wildlife rehabilitation facilities in Iowa, 2004–2014. Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 8(2):465-473; e1944-687X. doi:10.3996/122015-JFWM-124.