Abstract

We analyzed Cu and Cd liver concentration in adults and fledglings of Kelp gull from an urban (Coquimbo city) and a wild (Pájaros Islet) colony. Cu concentration was 15.57 ± 0.079 µg g-1 dry weight for adults and fledglings of both colonies. Adults Cd concentration from both colonies was 9.72 ± 0.110 µg g-1 dw, being 194% of the level considered toxic but in the range for seabirds. In the urban fledglings Cd was below the detection level. Wild fledgling showed higher concentration of 1.54 ± 0.064 µg g-1 dw which probably reflects a biomagnification process, because parents kleptoparasite and consume eggs and chicks of other seabirds.