Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Thomas Custer (Former Employee)

Science and Products

link
Tom Custer installing a tree swallow nest box, April 2012, Black River at Loraine, OH

Wildlife Toxicology

The team's long term goal is: Examine the causes, fates, exposures, biological accumulation, and adverse effects (including sublethal effects) of environmental contaminants on animal (largely bird) populations.
By
Land Management Research Program, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
link

Wildlife Toxicology

The team's long term goal is: Examine the causes, fates, exposures, biological accumulation, and adverse effects (including sublethal effects) of environmental contaminants on animal (largely bird) populations.
Learn More
link
Scientist preparing samples in a laboratory

Systematic Approach to Understanding Tree Swallow Health in the Great Lakes Region—Science to Inform Restoration

Four papers by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists document tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) chemical exposure, physiological responses, and reproductive success in the Great Lakes region. These studies were designed to understand if there are health threats to swallows from contaminant exposure, and to provide resource managers with information about the actual as opposed to the perceived...
By
Ecosystems, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology
link

Systematic Approach to Understanding Tree Swallow Health in the Great Lakes Region—Science to Inform Restoration

Four papers by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists document tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) chemical exposure, physiological responses, and reproductive success in the Great Lakes region. These studies were designed to understand if there are health threats to swallows from contaminant exposure, and to provide resource managers with information about the actual as opposed to the perceived...
Learn More
link
tree swallow eggs and nest

Birds as Indicators of Contaminant Exposure in the Great Lakes

Objectives: 1. Use tree swallows and colonial waterbirds in the Great Lakes to evaluate contaminant Exposure (geographic and spatial) 2. Trends through time (temporal) 3. Effects (reproductive, physiological, genetic) 4. Monitor cleanup actions
By
Ecosystems, Species Management Research Program, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
link

Birds as Indicators of Contaminant Exposure in the Great Lakes

Objectives: 1. Use tree swallows and colonial waterbirds in the Great Lakes to evaluate contaminant Exposure (geographic and spatial) 2. Trends through time (temporal) 3. Effects (reproductive, physiological, genetic) 4. Monitor cleanup actions
Learn More
Tree swallow - carousel
link
A tree swallow - Tachycineta bicolor
link
A typical tree swallow studied by the scientists
link
Image: Household Products Could Harm Tree Swallows
link
Image: Emerging Contaminants Might Affect Tree Swallow Reproduction
link
Filter Total Items: 185

Multi-omics responses in tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) nestlings from the Maumee Area of Concern, Maumee River, Ohio

A multi-omics approach was utilized to identify altered biological responses and functions, and to prioritize contaminants to assess the risks of chemical mixtures in the Maumee Area of Concern (AOC), Maumee River, OH, USA. The Maumee AOC is designated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as having significant beneficial use impairments, including degradation of fish and wildlife p
By
Ecosystems, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Exposure and effects of bioaccumulative contaminants of emerging concern in tree swallows nesting across the Laurentian Great Lakes

Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) are a loosely defined group of chemicals whose wide-spread usage or presence in the environment has occurred more recently or for which there has been relatively little research done until recently. Many of these CECs are not currently regulated. The National Toxicology Program within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that about 2000
By
Ecosystems, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Using tree swallows to assess reductions in PCB exposure as a result of dredging at Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) sites in the Upper Midwest, USA

Tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) were used to assess the effectiveness of reducing polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) exposure to wildlife as a result of contaminated sediment removal at locations across the Great Lakes under two dredging scenarios, full or spot dredging. For comparative purposes, other locations where no dredging occurred were also assessed. Calculating accumulation rate, from the
By
Ecosystems, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Legacy and contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in tree swallows along an agricultural to industrial gradient: Maumee River, OH

Exposure to multiple classes of contaminants, both legacy and contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), were assessed in tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) tissue and diet samples from 6 sites along the Maumee River, Ohio, USA, to understand both exposure and possible effects of exposure to those CECs for which there are little avian data. The 6 sites represented a gradient from intensive agricultu
By
Ecosystems, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Perfluoroalkyl contaminant exposure in tree swallows nesting at Clarks Marsh, Oscoda, Michigan, USA

A site in north eastern Michigan, Oscoda Township, has some of the highest recorded exposure in birds to perfluorinated substances (PFASs) in the U.S. Some egg and plasma concentrations at that location exceeded the lowest reproductive effect threshold established for two avian laboratory species. The objectives of this study were to determine whether there were reproductive effects or physiolog
By
Ecosystems, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Element concentrations in tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) from the U.S. and Binational Great Lakes’ areas of concern

Selected elements were targeted in state Remedial Action Plans as one group of chemicals affecting the Beneficial Use Impairments of Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOC). Livers of nestling tree swallows, Tachycineta bicolor, were harvested from 76 sites in the Great Lakes which included multiple sites at 27 AOCs and 12 reference sites from 2010 to 2015 and analyzed for 21 elements. Mercury conce
By
Ecosystems, Contaminant Biology, National Wildlife Health Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Reproductive success and contaminant associations in tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) used to assess a Beneficial Use Impairment in U.S. and Binational Great Lakes’ Areas of Concern

During 2010-2014, tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) reproductive success was monitored at 68 sites across all 5 Great Lakes, including 58 sites located within Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs) and 10 non-AOCs. Sample eggs were collected from tree swallow clutches and analyzed for contaminants including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins and furans, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, and 34
By
Ecosystems, Contaminant Biology, National Wildlife Health Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Annual variation in polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) exposure in tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) eggs and nestlings at Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) study sites

Tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) eggs and nestlings were collected from 16 sites across the Great Lakes to quantify normal annual variation in total polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) exposure and to validate the sample size choice in earlier work. A sample size of five eggs or five nestlings per site was adequate to quantify exposure to PCBs in tree swallows given the current exposure levels and va
By
Ecosystems, Contaminant Biology, National Wildlife Health Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Synthesis of tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) data for Beneficial Use Impairment (BUI) assessment at Wisconsin Areas of Concern

Assessment of the “Bird or Animal Deformities or Reproductive Problems” Beneficial Use Impairment (BUI) can be accomplished by (1) comparing tissue concentrations to established background and Lowest Observable Effect Level (LOEL) for reproductive effects, or (2) directly measuring reproductive success at Areas of Concern (AOCs) and statistically comparing those rates to minimally impacted referen
By
Ecosystems, Contaminant Biology, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

EROD activity, chromosomal damage, and oxidative stress in response to contaminants exposure in tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) nestlings from Great Lakes Areas of Concern

Tree swallow, Tachycineta bicolor, nestlings were collected from 60 sites in the Great Lakes, which included multiple sites within 27 Areas of Concern (AOCs) and six sites not listed as AOCs from 2010 to 2014. Nestlings, approximately 12 days-of-age, were evaluated for ethoxyresorufin-O-dealkylase (EROD) activity, chromosomal damage, and six measures of oxidative stress. Data on each of these biom
By
Ecosystems, Contaminant Biology, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Organic contamination in tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) nestlings at United States and binational great Lakes Areas of Concern

Contaminant exposure of tree swallows, Tachycineta bicolor, nesting in 27 Areas of Concern (AOCs) in the Great Lakes basin was assessed from 2010 to 2014 to assist managers and regulators in their assessments of Great Lakes AOCs. Contaminant concentrations in nestlings from AOCs were compared with those in nestlings from nearby non-AOC sites. Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and polybrominated diphe
By
Ecosystems, National Wildlife Health Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Concentrations and spatial patterns of organic contaminants in tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) eggs at United States and binational Great Lakes Areas of Concern, 2010–2015

Tree swallows, Tachycineta bicolor, were sampled across the Great Lakes basin in 2010 through 2015 to provide a system-wide assessment of current exposure to organic contaminants. The results provide information identified as critical by regulators to assess the “bird or animal deformity or reproductive problems” beneficial use impairment. Eggs were collected from 69 sites across all 5 Great Lakes
By
Ecosystems, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, National Wildlife Health Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
link

Tree Swallow GLRI Story Map

This Story Maps accompanies 4 peer-reviewed publications to provide a convenient and useful tool to access the information contained within these four...

Read Article

Science and Products