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.

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.

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

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