Deformed Beaks May Signal a Greater Environmental Problem

http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=2633

Black-capped Chickadees, Northwestern Crows, and other birds are being impacted by the highest rate of beak abnormalities ever recorded in wild bird populations in the Northwest and Canada. It affects their ability to feed and clean themselves and could signal a growing environmental health problem called “avian keratin disorder”. The keratin layer of the beak becomes overgrown, resulting in noticeably elongated and often crossed beaks, sometimes accompanied by abnormal skin, legs, feet, claws and feathers. It also has harmful effects on the birds' survival and reproductive rates. The source of the disease in unknown, but it is predicted to be caused by environmental problems. Beak deformities in birds can be caused by many different factors, including environmental contaminants, nutritional deficiencies, and bacterial, viral, fungal or parasitic infections, and environmental pollutants such as organochlorines.

This article was written November 8, 2010 by biologists Colleen Handel and Caroline Van Hemert with USGS.

The article is pro environmentalist because the title of the article implies that the deformed beaks are caused by environmental problems. It shows bias towards the deformities of beaks being caused by the environment when it says "these biological discoveries were the first indication that something was wrong in the ecosystem" and "avian keratin disorder is spreading and may be an indication of underlying environmental health problems."

II. The Living World

A. Ecosystem Structure

C. Ecosystem Diversity

VI. Pollution

B2. Hazardous chemicals in the environment

-Erika Evanoff