Lead poisoning of northern pintail ducks feeding in a tidal meadow contaminated with shot from a trap and skeet range.

Abstract

Lead poisoning of waterfowl from the ingestion of lead shot is well documented and widespread throughout the United States. Research and remedial regulations have focused on waterfowl hunting as the major source of this lead shot. Mortalities of cattle from ingestion of silage contaminated with lead shot from trap shooting have been documented in the United States, the United Kingdom and Ireland. Although ingestion of lead shot by cattle grazing on silage from a trap range was documented in Denmark, no mortalities were reported. This paper describes lead poisoning of northern pintail ducks (Anas acuta) from ingestion of lead shot deposited on a tidal meadow as the result of trap and skeet shooting. This is the first published report linking trap and skeet shooting with lead poisoning of waterfowl. It also describes and evaluates the management procedures taken to prevent the poisonings.