Examination of mercury concentration in the feathers of 18 species of birds in southwest Iran

This paper presents the levels of mercury (Hg) in tail feathers from different species of birds, in southwest Iran (Khuzestan to Persian Gulf). Between April and October 2005, we collected tail feathers from 77 birds belonging to 18 species, mostly raptor birds. The birds were collected for the Museum Natural History, Faculty of Natural Resources and Marine Sciences of Tarbiat Modares University. Hg concentrations were evaluated in relation to taxonomic affiliation and trophic level. Feather Hg concentrations ranged from 0.09 to 2.01 mg/kg dry wt. We found a significant difference in feather Hg concentrations across taxonomic groups ( p