The external tail feathers of Magpies were used for assessment of multielemental air-borne emissions. The studies were done in the areas with extremely high heavy metal pollution. Three are the largest Polish zinc smelters and one is a steelwork factory, to be compared, and in areas with potentially low heavy metal pollution - three national parks. Concentrations of 15 elements (Ba, Cd, Co, Cu, Ge, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sn, Sr, Tl, and Zn) were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The data were generally in accordance with the lists of elements emitted in the course of technological processes applied by particular works, and present that the vicinities of zinc smelter areas are much more polluted, especially with Pb, Cd, Zn, and Sn, in comparison to the steelworks region so far considered as seriously threatened. The described method enables us to visualise such differences, to assess a degree of multielemental pollution and to control the changes in emissions of many elements from year to year. From amongst the studied areas the district of Szopienice is extremely contaminated and the Ojców National Park is the most polluted Polish national park, with the concentrations of Ba, Ge, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Sn even equal to those found in the surroundings of the steelworks.
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