Elevation of copper and nickel levels in primaries from black and mallard ducks collected in the Sudbury district, Ontario

Black and mallard duck wings were collected from northern Ontario and northern Saskatchewan during the fall of 1975, and primary flight feathers were analyzed for Cu, Ni, and Zn by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. Correlations between area sampled and mean metal concentrations in a population were investigated. Zinc concentrations did not vary with the population sampled, while mean levels of Cu and Ni were highest near Sudbury, Ontario, reflecting the known particulate fallout. Elevated Ni contents characterized the Sudbury collection site. No obvious trends in levels of the three metals were apparent with species, sex, age, or the choice of wing analyzed.