Text 1571, 51 rader
Skriven 2004-11-06 12:02:02 av Björn Forsström (2:203/614.61)
   Kommentar till text 1554 av Roy Witt (1:10/22)
Ärende: Birds
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 BF>> I looked it up and my bird-book says that *most* birds have a gizzard but
 BF>> doesn't say anything about the ones that hasn't.

 RW> Probably because they're still doing the research on finding one.

How hard can that be? It's just to open one up. Does it take research for that?

 RW> Sure, in their gizzard. The insect has a skeleton on the outside, rather
 RW> than on the inside like us.

And here was some more news.
Skeleton on the outside?

 RW> Eagles and owls swallow mice and other small rodents whole sometimes.

Why didn't I think of that?

 RW> Besides, how many of them can pick the bones of their prey with such
 RW> precision that they leave the bones behind. Probably only the animals with
 RW> hands (monkeys, apes), rather than paws, claws or talons, can do that.

Voltures?

 RW> The proventriculus is the 'crop', the secretions are merely acids in the
 RW> gizzard that help to break down the food.

I see, but HCl? And what is pepsinogen?

 RW> You can see the differences in them by observing their bills and toes,
 RW> toes for the lack of a better word today. Meat eaters have hooked bills
 RW> and talons, seed/insect eaters have straight bills. There are acceptions
 RW> to this, as some meat eaters don't have hooked bills, but they do have a
 RW> bill that has teeth in it. They're not teeth like you would see in a
 RW> mammal, however.

OK. Sounds as you have done your homework.

 RW> A little of both. I've owned some parrots in my time and I am an avid
 RW> upland game-bird hunter. BTW, parrots and bird dogs do get along. One of
 RW> my parrots has complete command over my German short-hair pointer.

So much for a bird-lover, eh?
Parrots are what we call American tourists. Colourfull and loud.  :-)
Do you have another name for that dog? Haven't heard of German short-hair
pointer. I have had award winning Blue Merle Collies. The Europe style, not
the American style, don't like 'em. Just look at the American Lassie movies,
looks like dingos or hyenas.

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 * Origin: . (2:203/614.61)