Whether we recognize the threat or not, humans and raptors ingest dangerously high amounts of lead. 

Lead, a toxic metal naturally buried deep within Earth’s crust, poisons environments worldwide. Widespread historical usage creates persistent, serious hazards. Globally, people ingest lead through numerous pathways. Industrial settings — mining, e-waste recycling, and lead-acid battery manufacturing — drive severe exposure, particularly in developing nations. Yet exposure persists even in developed countries, lurking within playgrounds, paint, school infrastructure, or older hospitals. Lead contaminates toys, ceramics, medicines, and cosmetics, making avoidance a daily challenge. 

Ingested lead chemically mimics calcium. Both elements carry a +2 charge and possess similar atomic size, effectively tricking the body’s essential systems. Calcium typically transmits neural signals, governs hormone release, and controls heart muscle contraction. When lead invades, it disrupts these vital channels aggressively. 

In the nervous system, lead compromises the release of neurotransmitters essential for cellular communication. This faulty messaging cripples memory, impairs learning, and affects behavior, posing extreme risk to younger children. Calcium is also stored in bones. Because the body cannot produce calcium, if it ever needs extra calcium, it is released into the bloodstream. Calcium even helps the heart contract, so when lead sneaks in, it can slow the heart down. This surge endangers expectant mothers, their developing children, and aging adults. Lead poisoning is such a prevalent issue; according to the World Health Organization, almost 1 million people die every year from lead poisoning. So what can we do about it?

The United States has implemented various policies confronting this issue. In 1978, the federal government banned the use of lead-based paint, and many states had already banned it earlier. Previously added to gasoline since the 1920s (to boost octane levels), lead faced a massive phase-out starting in 1973. The EPA began phasing out lead from gasoline, with the last fraction of lead-based gasoline being banned in 1996, as mandated by the Clean Air Act. Even recently, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocated $15 billion for lead pipe removal. These actions confirm the widespread lead issue, asserting our ability to enact critical change. 

However, the problem extends far beyond human populations.  

According to the National Audubon Society, nearly 16 million birds get lead poisoning each year, taking the lives of around 1.2 million. 

But why? 

Unlike humans, birds avoid exposure to paint and cosmetics; therefore, their primary source of lead is from ammunition and fishing tackle. Upon impact, a single lead bullet fragments into hundreds of tiny pieces. Eagles and raptors scavenge on shot carcasses, inadvertently consuming these lethal fragments. Lead circulating in the bloodstream displaces calcium, crippling brain signals, damaging the digestive system, and drastically slowing energy production. The statistics confirm the scale of this issue: at the World Bird Sanctuary in Fenton, Missouri, over 75% of the Bald Eagles treated have lead poisoning. In 1987, only 22 California Condors remained alive, due in part to chronic lead exposure.

So, how can we help the raptors that we have harmed so drastically? A straightforward way is to use non-lead ammunition and fishing sinkers. There are many alternatives, including copper ammunition. In 2019, the California legislature passed a statewide ban on lead bullets. As for the other 49 states? By engaging with our policymakers, hunting groups, and even taking small steps at home, joint efforts can lead to solutions to save our planet and raptors.

Lead poisoning doesn’t just hurt humans; it threatens wildlife, even our national symbol. Every single lead bullet has the potential to become a deadly meal for a raptor. And while many issues today may seem unchangeable, this one is clearly preventable. It is within our reach, and it begins with raising awareness and making different choices.