MONITORING BIOACCUMULATION OF CONTAMINANTS IN THE BELTED KINGFISHER (CERYLE ALCYON)

The belted kingfisher (Celyle alcyon), a common piscivore in the easte rn United States, has become a common endpoint in ecological risk asse ssments (ERA) because of their high consumption of potentially contami nated aquatic prey. While bioaccumulation data and biosurveys may be u sed to support conclusions of ERAs for kingfishers, there are currentl y no published data on contaminant concentrations in kingfishers. Addi tionally, methods available for collecting biological samples (e.g., f eathers, eggs, food debris, etc.) from kingfisher burrows can be detri mental to the reproductive success of the birds. We present a method f or obtaining samples from burrows during or following the nesting seas on. The method was applied to kingfisher burrows on the Oak Ridge Rese rvation (ORR) in eastern Tennessee. Feathers, eggshells, and nestlings were collected from burrows and analyzed. In addition, carcasses of t hree adult kingfishers found dead on the ORR were analyzed. Metals and radionuclides were accumulated by both juvenile and adult birds. Body burdens of cadmium, lead, and cesium-137 in adult birds were below le vels associated with toxicity. Concentrations of selenium and mercury were observed at potentially toxic levels. Contaminants in eggshells a nd nestling feathers indicate exposure, however, there is insufficient information to evaluate the toxicological significance of this contam ination.