Based on longitudinal studies—some into their fifth decade—of colonial waterbirds, this book provides a clear picture of the corrosive effects of heavy metals in the aquatic environment today. Colonial-nesting birds can serve as excellent bioindicators and sentinels for both human and ecological health. This book takes a food-web, ecosystem approach to contaminants, using populations dynamics, habitat selection, and inputs to the bay to examine metal levels. It includes the human dimension, discusses what metals in birds tell us about human exposure, and describes stakeholder involvement in these issues.