and lastly, a big thank you to my team at @adriftlab.bsky.social. As #GoodScienceGoodPeople! Without you there would be no paper.

@seabirdsentinel.bsky.social @thelabandfield.bsky.social Richard Wilson, Graeme Zosky and Jack Auty.

Notably, the metrics commonly used to assess condition in wildlife (for example body mass) do not provide an accurate description of health or the impacts of plastic ingestion.

📸 Justin Gilligan

Most research on plastic ingestion focuses on emaciated individuals. We took a different approach, studying healthy chicks ready for migration to understand how plastic affects them without malnutrition side effects. These hidden impacts are far-reaching and could affect their survival.

The key findings reveal that plastic ingestion isn’t just a digestive issue

📸 @nealhaddaway.bsky.social