Feeding in urban refuse dumps: ingestion of plastic objects by the White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)

[…]. According to our data, refuse dumps provide a staple food for storks throughout the year, but expose some birds, especially the juveniles, to the potential consumption of plastics and other potentially dangerous materials. Due to the healthy and increasing Spanish White Stork population to a certain extent a direct consequence of the presence of refuse dumps- the potential juvenile mortality due to the ingestion of plastic is density-dependent (Newton, 1998) and -currently- may not necessarily affect the bird populations. […].

Peris, S. J., Ardeola 50(1), 2003, 81-84