| The American eider, a species of saltwater duck known to dive for its food, is one of a number of ducks, geese, and swans that have been adversely affected by lead poisoning. The waterfowl are poisoned when they accidentally eat small amounts of lead shot from the bottoms of ponds in areas where hunting is common. The lead pellets are processed in the gizzard, and death usually occurs after the lead enters the bloodstream. |