canberrabirds

RE: Would swallow?

To: <>
Subject: RE: Would swallow?
From: "David Rosalky" <>
Date: Sun, 2 Dec 2007 20:54:53 +1100
Nice shots, Stuart.  I presume this is simply the removal of the faecal sac of the young.  The Noisy Friarbird nest near my house is cleaned by the adults regularly and frequently.  After they bring food, they usually pick up a deposited faecal sac and fly well away from the nest with it.  (I read in HANZAB that some birds, including Dusky WS for the first days after hatching, eat the faecal sac.)
 
This is an amazing piece of evolution as the young of nidicolous species deposit in sacs to permit this action by parents.  After fledging, the bird's physiology changes and the sacs disappear.
 
Apparently, because of the flimsy nests of the Woodswallows, the parent removes the sac before it is dropped near the nest thus defeating the purpose of the clean-up.  HANZAB does not actually record such a process of removal from the anus directly, from my quick scan of the relevant pages.
 
David
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