Mercury in non-breeding sparrows of North Carolina salt marshes.

We captured Nelson's, Saltmarsh and Seaside Sparrows (Ammodramus nelsoni, A. caudacutus and A. maritimus) at three salt marsh sites near Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina during five non-breeding seasons (September through April, 2006-2011). We analyzed breast feather samples from all of these seasons and blood and first primary feather (P1) samples from three seasons (2008-2011) for mercury (Hg). Generalized linear models were used to test for the impact of species, season, site and month on blood Hg, species, season and site on P1 Hg and species and season on breast feather Hg. The best-fit model for blood indicated that Hg varied among species, seasons and months. Saltmarsh Sparrows maintain higher blood Hg than Nelson's and Seaside Sparrows during the non-breeding season while they are feeding in mixed flocks. In Nelson's and Seaside Sparrows, blood Hg decreased during mid-winter compared to early fall and late spring. Breast feather and P1 Hg varied among species with Saltmarsh Sparrows exhibiting higher concentrations than the other two species, while Nelson's Sparrows had lower concentrations than the other two species. Breast feather Hg was higher in the final three seasons than in the first two. Our results indicate that Hg exposure on breeding sites may be increasing and that high levels of Hg exposure during the breeding season may affect blood Hg concentrations year-round in Saltmarsh Sparrows. Our data thus provide a baseline for future Hg assessments in these species in NC.