Arctic Birds Spreading Pollution With Guano

Sea birds can spread pollutants such as mercury and pesticides across the Arctic in their droppings, Canadian researchers reported in the current issue of the journal Science.

The finding surprised experts, who had presumed that the chemicals were being spread only by atmospheric winds. The birds eat fish, squid and other animals with chemicals in their bodies. The chemicals are concentrated further in the bodies of the birds.

The birds, some of which range for thousands of miles, rain polluted guano onto once-pristine environments, reported Jules Blais of the University of Ottawa and colleagues.