Sources and effects of persistent organic pollutants and brominated flame retardants in Cooper’s hawks (Accipiter cooperii) of Vancouver, British Columbia

Birds of prey are excellent indicators of environmental health. Since they are top predators, they accumulate a high concentration of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Cooper’s hawks (Accipiter cooperii) are abundant in urban areas but these environments have been associated with POPs known to cause adverse physiological effects. To investigate the exposure and effects of POPs and flame retardants in Vancouver, British Columbia, we assess the influence of diet, and landscape variables, such as land use and population density on plasma concentrations of pollutants in adult and nestling Cooper’s hawks. We then examined how these pollutant influence thyroid hormones and the fledge success. Our results suggest that: 1) concentrations of DDE are relatively high, 2) urbanized areas were most associated with industrial chemicals; ΣPCB and ΣPBDE, which were also negatively influencing thyroid hormone concentrations, and 3) diet most influenced dieldrin concentrations, which were associated with fledge success.