Wetland Bird Program
The Wetland Bird Program focuses on avian conservation in the remaining estuaries of the Northeast, examining exposure and effects of contaminants on wildlife in salt and freshwater wetland habitats. Ongoing studies investigate mercury contamination in a high conservation priority species, the saltmarsh sharp-tailed sparrow. In addition, we monitor contaminant exposure in other marsh-nesting passerines, belted kingfishers, wading and shorebirds.
Program Director
Oksana Piterman Lane
207.839.7600, ext. 106
Program Goals
- Monitor mercury exposure in sharp-tailed sparrows, rails, belted kingfishers and other wetland birds
- Expand our study species to include wading birds and shorebirds and increase study areas to estuaries further south along the East Coast
- Investigate the effects of elevated mercury concentrations on the reproductive success of species nesting in the salt marshes
Current BRI Projects
- Methylmercury Monitoring in Sparrows
- Mercury Monitoring in Wetland Birds
Geographic Focus
- Maine and New England
- New York
- Chesapeake Bay
Recent Reports, Papers and Presentations
- Oksana P. Lane, K. M. O'Brien, D. E. Evers, A. Major, T. P. Hodgman, R. Taylor and D. Perry. Geographic Mercury Exposure Profile in Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrows (Ammodramus caudacutus). In Prep.
- Lane, O.P. and D.C. Evers. 2007.Methylmercury availability in New England estuaries as indicated by saltmarsh sharp-tailed sparrow, 2004-2006. Report BRI 2007-14 submitted to USFWS. BioDiversity Research Institute, Gorham, Maine. pdf
- Lane, O.P., D.C. Evers, and K. A. Warner. 2007. An exploratory investigation of environmental mercury levels at an operating chlor-alkali plant on the Hiwassee River, Tennessee. BRI Report 2007-05 submitted to Oceana. BioDiversity Research Institute, Gorham, Maine. pdf
- Lane, O.P, D.C. Evers, D. Albano, T. Haines, and R. Taylor. 2004. Belted kingfishers (Ceryle alcyon) as indicators of methyl mercury availability in aquatic systems (1997-2003). Submitted to: Surface Water Ambient Toxic Monitoring Program. Report BRI 2004-13. BioDiversity Research Institute, Gorham, Maine. pdf
- Lane, O.P. and D.C. Evers. 2003. North American common loon biomonitoring program, Quebec, Canada, 1997-2001 Comprehensive report. BRI 2003-01. BioDiversity Research Institute, Falmouth, Maine. pdf
