The bird essentially creates its own renewable food sources by depositing seeds that will mature into fruit-bearing plants.

The researchers collected tissue samples and scrutinized the level of abnormalities. They also counted the amount of plastic in the birds digestive system, weighing it and organizing it by size.

The researchers examined the digestive tracts of 478 dead birds from the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, pinpointing plastic polymers, glass, fishing hooks, and oil residues.

Scientists have described a new disease called plasticosis, caused by – you guessed it – plastic waste. So far it's only been identified in the digestive tracts of seabirds, but the scale of ...