Science & Justice
Volume 48, Issue 2 , Pages 67-70, June 2008

Stable hydrogen isotope analysis as a method to identify illegally trapped songbirds

  • Andrew Kelly

      Affiliations

    • IBLS, Division of Environmental and Evolutionary Biology, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
    • RSPCA Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre, London Rd., Stapeley, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 7JW, UK
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. RSPCA Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre, London Rd., Stapeley, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 7JW, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1270 628755, fax: +44 (0)1270 610385.
    • ,
  • Richard Thompson

      Affiliations

    • RSPCA Mallydams Wood Study and Wildlife Centre, Peter James Lane, Fairlight, Hastings, TN35 4AH, UK
    • ,
  • Jason Newton

      Affiliations

    • NERC Life Sciences Mass Spectrometry Facility, Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, Rankine Avenue, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, East Kilbride, G75 0QF, UK

Accepted 25 September 2007. published online 09 November 2007.

Abstract 

We measured stable hydrogen isotope ratios in the primary feathers of two subspecies of goldfinches, confiscated by the Police and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) on suspicion that they had been illegally taken from the wild. We found significant differences in the δ2H values of the two subspecies indicating that they were sourced from different geographical regions. Our results correlated with isotopic precipitation maps and with the known distribution of the two subspecies of goldfinch. We believe that this technique could be used by law enforcement agencies to determine the origin of birds in cases where the species or subspecies involved are geographically distinct.

Keywords: Stable isotopes, Hydrogen, Deuterium, Goldfinch, Carduelis carduelis, RSPCA

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PII: S1355-0306(07)00078-0

doi:10.1016/j.scijus.2007.09.012

Science & Justice
Volume 48, Issue 2 , Pages 67-70, June 2008

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