Birds becoming gay because of mercury
Birds are being turned gay because there is too much mercury in their diet, scientists have revealed. Researchers in Florida and Sri Lanka studied the effect of the metal in white ibises' diets to find out why breeding was down.
They found the higher the dose of mercury in the wading birds' food pellets, the more likely a male bird was to pair with another male.
Dr Peter Frederick from the University of Florida, who led the study, said: "We knew mercury could depress their testosterone levels but we didn't expect this.
The males with the higher mercury doses performed far fewer courtship displays, so were more likely to be ignored by females.
Wetland habitats, like the Florida Everglades that are home to the birds, are particularly vulnerable to mercury contamination, which can come from burning coal and waste, and run-off from mines.
The report shows wetland birds are particularly badly affected by it.
Gary Heinz, a wildlife researcher from the US Geological Survey, said: "It cannot be broken down, only be moved about and transformed from one chemical form to another."
"And any effect that might reduce the productivity of a species would likely be harmful in nature."
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Posted by Darey
on 6:48 AM. Filed under