Incubation stage and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener patterns in an altricial and precocial bird species

• PCB congener patterns did not differ between undeveloped and embryonated bird eggs.
• PCB congener patterns can be compared using eggs at all stages of incubation.
• An altricial (swallow) and a precocial (tern) species showed similar results.
• Birds with short (swallow) or longer incubation periods (tern) showed similar results.

The composition of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners was compared between non-incubated and embryonated eggs of tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) and little terns (Sterna albifrons) to determine if measurable changes in PCB congeners occurred during the embryonic period. There was no indication of changes in PCB congener patterns over the incubation period in tree swallows in 1999 and 2000 at a site with very high PCB exposure or a site with more modest PCB exposure. Additionally, congeners known to be either quickly metabolized or conserved based on experimental studies did not generally respond as predicted. Similarly, PCB congener patterns in eggs of little terns from Bottsand, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, did not differ between non-incubated and embryonated eggs. The results from both species suggest that the stage of incubation is not an important consideration when evaluating PCB congener patterns; comparisons and assessments can be made with eggs collected at all stages of incubation.