Milwauke ? Lead fishing tackle is threatening the common loon and other bird populations in northern Wisconsin, and a campaign aims to offer fishers alternatives.

“Get the Lead Out” is designed to educate them on the dangers of lead to loons, swans and bald eagles. This year, organizers are distributing display cards outlining the hazards of lead tackle and providing information on lead-free alternatives.

A single lead jig or sinker can poison and kill a loon. Non-toxic materials such as tin, bismuth, steel, tungsten or ceramic can replace lead in tackle boxes.

In its fourth year in Wisconsin, “Get the Lead Out” is sponsored by LoonWatch at the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute, as well as eight other nonprofit organizations. Programs of the same name exist in neighboring states and Canada.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources recently performed necropsies on 11 loons from Oneida and Vilas counties. Five of these loons had poisonous levels of lead in their gastrointestinal systems and tissues.