Effects of smelter emissions on metal levels in the plumage of ruffed grouse near Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

This work investigated geographical and temporal variability in the metal content of the plumage of wild populations of ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus), especially as affected by the emissions of the nickel–copper smelters at Sudbury, Ontario. Levels of copper, nickel, and iron in plumage in the postmoult condition (6, 1, and 35 μg∙g−1, respectively) did not differ between birds from a site highly contaminated with metals and an uncontaminated control site. Such levels were thought to reflect endogenous incorporation of minerals during the period of feather growth and are termed base levels. Plumage in the premoult condition, having been subjected to exogenous influences during the feather year, showed gains in metal content of 7- to 20-fold over base levels at the contaminated site. As further evidence of exogenous influence, grouse retrices exposed in vitro to the atmosphere at the contaminated site showed linear time-related gains of metals. Models were developed to describe feather metal content as a ...