Analysis of Mercury Toxicity in the Wild Population of Black-Headed Oriole Oriolus brachyrhynchus (Swainson, 1837) from Some Selected Community in Benue State, Nigeria

Mercury contamination in wild birds has long been recognized as a serious predicament in terms of pollution. Emission of mercury is still being observed [1-3] in order to reduce the rate of environmental pollution. Birds can be exposed externally, by physical contact, and internally, by consumption of contaminated feed [4]. Mercury can be bioaccumulated and biomagnified in the ecosystems leading to wildlife being exposed to it, and this may harm birds and even lead to population declines [5] in most cases. The tendency of mercury to accumulate in bird species depends on the intake and the rate of elimination from the body [6]. Basically, transportation of mercury in birds occurs through the blood where the ions are generally bound to proteins. This contaminant is brought into contact with the organs and tissues of the bird and as a result they are accumulated at different degree in different organs and tissues of the bird [7] but, it is a function of the duration of exposure.