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Some information gleaned from “waterbirds_sinkers” pdf. A summary of the USGS survey done between 1995-1999 and the basis for the ban on lead sinkers and jigheads less than 1/2 oz in the state of NH. This is one of the tables in the report and some of my observations on the numbers contained therein. This should lead to some vigorous discussion! Table 2 Species No. with ingested lead weights Frequency (%) Common Loon (tested sick or dead – 65%) FROM # tested # w/ lead % w/lead Rehabilitation centers 156 6 3.8 Apparently healthy 109 5 4.6 Found dead in field 48 0 0 Total 313 11 3.5 Brown Pelican (tested sick or dead – 99%) FROM # tested # w/ lead % w/lead Rehabilitation centers 308 10 3.2 Apparently healthy 4 0 0 Found dead in field 53 0 0 Total 365 10 2.7 Double-crested Cormorant (tested sick or dead - 90%) FROM # tested # w/ lead % w/lead Rehabilitation centers 68 0 0 Apparently healthy 8 0 0 Found dead in field 5 1 20 Total 81 1 1.2 Black-crowned Night Heron (tested sick or dead – 91%) FROM # tested # w/ lead % w/lead Rehabilitation centers 0 N/Aa N/A Apparently healthy 1 0 0 Found dead in field 10 1 10 Total 11 1 9.1 84% of birds tested were sick or dead. 2.9% had a lead item in digestive tract. Some evidence in report that less than ½ actually have increased lead levels. 23 out of 2240 (about 1%) water birds tested had lead items in their digestive tract.