Ingestion of crude oil: sublethal effects in herring gull chicks.

A single small oral dose of Kuwait or South Louisiana crude oil caused cessation of growth, osmoregulatory impairment, and hypertrophy of hepatic, adrenal, and nasal gland tissue in herring gull chicks living in a simulated marine environment. These findings suggest that ingesting crude oil causes multiple sublethal effects that might impair a bird's ability to survive at sea.