Flamingo feathers to monitor metal contamination of coastal wetlands: methods and some results from six Mediterranean sites.

Feathers of Flamingo chicks were sampled in six west Mediterranean wetlands in order to assess bird exposure to metals in their natal areas. This survey, started in 2008, is to date in progress. Here we discuss sample handling and analytical methods, and present first results of Mercury analysis. Our results suggest that Mercury is more concentrated in the feathers of birds growing in the Cagliari surrounding wetlands.