en Examination of Toxic Metals (mercury) in Coot (Fulica atra) and Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) Collected in Anzali and Gomishan Wetlands, Iran عمومى General پژوهشي Research <span style="font-weight: bold">Background:</span> Present study was carried out in north of Iran to investigate the concentration of mercury (Hg) as one of the most toxic metals in tissues of two species of birds. <br><span style="font-weight: bold">Methods:</span> In this study, 15 birds from coot (Fulica atra) and 18 birds from cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) were hunted in Anzali and Gomishan wetlands. Data-analyses carried out using SPSS software version 17 licenced by Tarbiat Modares University. Data-test normality performed based on Sharpiro-Wilk’s test and P-value was set on P<0.05. <br><span style="font-weight: bold">Results: </span>Based on the study, for two species, mercury concentration in feather was in maximal and in muscles it was in minimal concentration. For coot muscles, kidney, liver tissues and feathers, it was 0.03, 0.07, 0.09, and 0.23 mg/kg, and for cormorant it was 2.26, 3.59, 5.67, and 8.68 mg/kg. In general, mercury (Hg) concentrations in coot were lower than cormorant (P<0.05). No significant differences were found between them in terms of sex (P< 0.05). <br><span style="font-weight: bold">Conclusion:</span> Concentration of mercury was not the same in two species. Statistical analysis didnot show a significant differences between male and female tissues of them.Our data can contribute to develop management programs for understanding the ecotoxicological status of the Caspian basin and its coastal environment. Bioindicator, Caspian Sea, Coot, Cormorant, Mercury Bioindicator, Caspian Sea, Coot, Cormorant, Mercury 295 301 http://ijt.arakmu.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-2-27&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Jaber Aazami جابر اعظمی aazami@yahoo.com 10031947532846003276 10031947532846003276 Yes Department of Environment, Faculty of Natural Resources and Marine Science, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Iran Department of Environment, Faculty of Natural Resources and Marine Science, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Iran Abbas Esmaili-Sari عباس اسماعیلی ساری 10031947532846003277 10031947532846003277 No Department of Environment, Faculty of Natural Resources and Marine Science, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Iran Department of Environment, Faculty of Natural Resources and Marine Science, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Iran Seyed Mahmoud Ghasempouri سید محمود قاسم پوری 10031947532846003278 10031947532846003278 No Department of Environment, Faculty of Natural Resources and Marine Science, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Iran Department of Environment, Faculty of Natural Resources and Marine Science, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Iran Nader Bahramifar نادر بهرامی فر 10031947532846003279 10031947532846003279 No Department of Environment, Faculty of Natural Resources and Marine Science, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Iran Department of Environment, Faculty of Natural Resources and Marine Science, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Iran