Dead Embryos despite Low Contaminant Loads in Eggs of Eleonora's Falcon

Abstract

As a long-distance migrant which crosses more than 20 African countries, Eleonora's Falcons might have experienced a substantial accumulation of contaminants when returning to their breeding grounds. In 2004 and 2005, we collected 21 failed eggs from two colonies on Sardinia, Italy. We found a high percentage of dead embryos and suspected this was due to a high contaminant load. Despite this, the overall values for the contaminants analysed were rather low and lay within the range found in other raptor species. We analysed the eggs for residues of DDT (p,p^′-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane), PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl), and heavy metals. Although infertile eggs seem to be correlated with the highest values of ∑DDT, we did not find substantial values of any of the contaminants investigated. Because of the low world population of the species and varying reproduction rates in the colonies ranging from Cyprus to the Canaries, we highly recommend further censuses of the reproductive success of Eleonora's Falcon, including the examination of failed eggs.