Highly toxic.

Released into the atmosphere from coal.

In water it may be consumed by fish.

It has also recently been found to affect birds which feed on 

Claire Varian Ramos is investigating:

• The effects on birds’ 

  2

  behaviour
   or mental processes e.g. memory

• The effects on bird song (usually learned from a bird’s 

  3

  father
  )

Findings:

• Songs learned by birds exposed to mercury are less 

  4

  complex/complicated
  

• This may have a negative effect on birds’ 

  5

  reproduction/breeding
  

Lab based studies:

• Allow more 

  6

  control
   for the experimenter

Migrating birds such as 

Mercury also causes problems in learning 

Mercury in a mother’s body from 

New regulations for mercury emissions will affect everyone’s energy