Wintering Thrushes as Microplastic Pollution Sentinels in the Ground‑Foraging Guild of Mediterranean Olive Plantations

Abstract

Plastic pollution is a growing global environmental problem, and evidence shows that many wildlife species ingest plastic. In terrestrial environments, thrushes are indicators of microplastics pollution within their breeding ranges. This study investigated whether the Song Thrush Turdus philomelos and Redwing Turdus iliacus can indicate plastic pollution in terrestrial environments during wintering, by analysing their digestive tracts. These findings confirm thrushes as effective indicators of microplastic pollution, including in wintering areas, and highlight the ubiquity of these particles in terrestrial agroecosystems.