Frequently Asked Questions

What happens to a bird I send in?

What do I do if the bird has a ring on its leg?

Should I submit a bird that hasn’t been poisoned?

What happens to eggs sent in by licensed collectors?

Which species are analysed?

Which chemicals are measured?

Why are we interested in these chemicals?

What feedback will I receive?

Found a dead otter? Please contact the Otter Project, Cardiff University. Found other roadkill? Please report to Project Splatter- creating a UK map of wildlife roadkill. 

What happens to a bird I send in?

After a bird has been received by the PBMS it is digitally logged into the system and then stored in a -18 degrees Centrigrade freezer until selected for post mortem. The post mortem tecnician removes the bird from the freezer and allows the bird to thoroughly defrost. A post mortem is carried out and numerous measurements are recorded on a database including the age and sex of the bird and any sign of injury or disease. Samples are taken, weighed and stored in preparation for chemical analysis to take place.

#top

What do I do if the bird has a ring on its leg?

If a bird has a ring on its leg you may wish to report the ring number to the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).

#top

Should I submit a bird that hasn’t been poisoned?

Yes please! The aim of the PBMS is to monitor the levels of contaminants in the populations of predatory birds as a whole, not just those birds thought to have been poisoned. In fact the majority of birds we receive are thought to have died due to natural causes (e.g. starvation) or accidental deaths (e.g. hit by road vehicles).

#top

What happens to eggs sent in by licensed collectors?

Addled and deserted eggs are weighed, cracked and the contents homogenised prior to storage at -18 degrees Centrigrade. The egg shell is examined and the thickness measured. Egg shells are often sent to Museum collections. Any sign of embryo development is recorded. Egg contents undergo chemical analysis at the CEH Analytical Chemistry Facility.

#top

Which species are analysed?

The Predatory Bird Monitoring Scheme is currently collecting birds of prey of any kind. Current funding, however, only allows the analyses of Red kite, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and Barn owl. Other species are analysed when time and funding permits; these include Tawny owl and Buzzard. Other predatory birds sent into the scheme that are fit for analysis are retained in a long term archive facility at CEH Lancaster.

#top

Which chemicals are measured?

The table below shows the chemicals that are currently measured by the PBMS in livers and egg contents
SamplesContaminants Analysed
Liver 
Barn Owl, Kestrel, Red KiteAnticoagulant rodenticides
Sparrowhawk, Red kiteLead
OtterMetals, PBDEs
Other raptorsTissues archived for future retrospective studies
Egg contents 
GannetPCBs, metals and OCs
SparrowhawkDecabromo-diphenyl ether
Other raptorsEgg contents/tissues archived
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#top

Why are we interested in these chemicals?

Why are we monitoring these chemicals in predatory bird livers?
The chemicals monitored by the PBMS are those commonly used in rodenticides, flame retardants and other manufacturing processes. Some of these chemicals persist in the environment and bioaccumulate via the food chain to the organs of predatory species such as birds of prey and mammals.
Data generated by the scheme is used by governmental and non-governmental organisations to assess the risk that chemical contaminants pose to wildlife and potentially to human health, to develop our knowledge of the food-chain transfer and effects and to provide information on the need for, and the success of, mitigation measures. The PBMS contributes to national and international monitoring and risk assessment programmes and provides a scientific evidence base to inform regulatory decisions.

#top

What feedback will I receive?

We send an acknowledgement letter after we have received a dead bird. The bird is unpacked, logged into a digital system and stored at -18 until a post mortem examination is carried out. Since we receive more than 400 birds per year, this may be some time after you have sent the bird to us. Once a post mortem has been completed you will receive detailed information and measurements regarding the bird you sent in including a probable cause of death.

#top

How can you help?

GDPR, Privacy Policy and Cookies

The PBMS website is provided by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology under the terms of the UKCEH Privacy policy which sets out the basis on which any personal data we collect from you, or that you provide to us, will be processed by us. Information collected by the PBMS will be used for scientific purposes only under the GDPR lawful basis of Legitimate interests, not shared with any other party and retained for the duration of the project. Cookies may be set on your computer when you visit this site. What are Cookies?