Organochlorine pesticides, lead, and mercury in northern bobwhite ( Colinus virginianus) and scaled quail ( Callipepla squamata) from the rolling plains ecoregion of Texas and Oklahoma.

Northern bobwhite ( Colinus virginianus) and scaled quail ( Callipepla squamata) from the Rolling Plains ecoregion in Texas and Oklahoma were evaluated for organochlorine pesticides, Pb, and Hg. Of all organochlorine pesticides analyzed, only p,p′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene ( p,p′-DDE) and p,p′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane ( p,p′-DDD) were found in a few composite liver samples. Similarly, a small fraction of tissue samples had detectable levels of Hg (liver and breast) or Pb exceeding background concentrations (femur). Lead concentrations in a few individuals fell within the range associated with moderate toxicity. Environ Toxicol Chem 2015;34:1505-1510. © 2015 SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]