Birds are a special class of animals whose representatives conquered the sky. And for this, Mother Nature rewarded them with a number of devices in the external and internal structure. The streamlined body shape, feathers, wings, lack of teeth, hollow bones, the presence of a keel, double breathing, rapid metabolism and the presence of goiter helped them in this.
What is a bird goiter?
For many, the word "goiter" is associated with a disease, but goiter in birds is a special organ that serves as a reservoir for food. It is an expanded part of the esophagus, dividing it into two parts - the upper and lower. Goiter in a bird is a protrusion of the stomach, which is clearly visible to the naked eye. It is lined with a mucous membrane with glands that secrete a secret. That is why for some, the initial stage of digestion begins in this sac-like expansion. In birds of the Pigeon and Pheasant family, the striated muscles are attached to the goiter, which, when reduced, help food move to the glandular stomach.
By their origin, goiter in birds can be divided into 2 groups:
- The wall of the esophagus protrudes and a spindle-shaped reservoir forms. For example, hummingbirds, birds of prey.
- Short and bounded above and below. For example, in parrots, chicken.
Now you have an idea what a goiter in a bird is. Where is this authority located? In most birds, it is located on the neck on the right side above the collarbone.
Goiter is clearly visible in fed chicks. When palpating, an empty, healthy goiter is soft, and a filled goiter is hard.
Do all the birds have goiter?
Goiter is best developed in birds that feed on grain. It is in this part of the digestive system that complex biochemical processes of digestion begin. The food first swells, becomes soft and, under the influence of its own enzymes and enzymes of saliva, mucus and symbiotic bacteria, begins to decompose. So, in this part of the esophagus, complex organic substances - proteins, fats and carbohydrates - undergo primary processing, breaking down into their components. This is typical for representatives of the order Chicken, Parrots.
For birds, which are characterized by a long period of fasting, goiter serves as a repository of food. For predators, this organ, in fact, is a garbage bag, since undigested particles of food - bones, feathers, chitin, wool - get into it. After a certain time, the bird burps them in the form of riddles - compressed, undigested food.
But there are also such birds, for example, ostriches, penguins, which have no goiter at all. What unites these birds is that they are flightless. The ostrich’s lack of goiter is compensated by its long neck and the fact that it swallows stones, helping it to digest hard foods.
Touring and function
But not only ostriches swallow stones, for example, and black grouse do it. Touring stones are stones that help digest stiff plant foods. Their birds are searched and swallowed with food. But in some birds, these solid particles sink lower into the stomach, into the muscular part, and remain there. That is why the birds that are kept at home are recommended to put sand, pebbles in a cage. The gastrolytes perform the function of teeth, which are absent in modern birds.
Bird milk - myth or reality?
According to legend, birds of paradise fed their chicks with milk. And the person who tasted such milk became immune to diseases. Does this bird's milk exist?
During the hatching of chicks in pigeons, changes in the structure of goiter occur. So, epithelial cells degenerate into fat cells. Then they are rejected and together with mucus form a white curdled liquid. This is the bird or goiter milk, which birds feed their offspring for a month in the wild and about two weeks in captivity. Such food, fatty and high-calorie, contributes to the rapid development of chicks. Goiter milk is formed both in females and in males.
Flamingos also feed their offspring with a similar product, but their bird milk contains an addition - semi-digested food.
Bird goiter: what else is it for?
In pigeons, goiter is also a resonator, which is necessary for cooing, attracting females. It is him who is visible, he swells during courtship.
Desert birds (grouse) in this sac bring water to their offspring. This is one of the devices for survival in hot and dry climates.
Pelicans have the largest goiter, it is in it that the birds carry fish - for themselves and the chicks.
What are the consequences of goiter damage?
Goiter in a bird (bulging stomach) is very important. Especially for those who eat plant foods and grains. If it is damaged, animals may die. Damage to the food “bag” is divided into 2 groups: external (external) and internal.
External damage most often occurs as a result of injury: impact on a hard surface during flight; battle with an opponent for a female, territory, food; predator bites (cats). With such an injury, the integrity of the skin is violated, so the food falls out. Such a wound does not completely heal and the bird, while maintaining an appetite, dies of hunger.
Internal damage can occur due to overflow of goiter with swollen food or injury with a sharp object. That is why it is not recommended to feed wild birds with fresh brown bread. In this case, the goiter ruptures, and food from it gets under the skin. Food can be felt or even seen in the throat area.
With such injuries, the birds can be saved if you turn to the veterinarian in time who will perform the operation and suture.
Goiter inflammation
One of the dangerous diseases that occurs in birds is goiter inflammation. Due to the ingestion of pathogenic bacteria or fungi, the normal functioning of the goiter glands is disrupted. They begin to produce large amounts of mucus. More often, this disease attacks pets, who eat ready-made monotonous grain mixtures due to the lack of vitamin A. If the problem is not detected in time and treatment is not started, then the infection spreads further, affecting the stomach and intestines. In birds, diarrhea can occur. Signs of goiter inflammation are:
- gray mucus;
- frequent swallowing movements;
- belching food;
- lowering the temperature;
- lack of appetite;
- indigestion.
The treatment is prescribed by a doctor, it includes antibiotic therapy and the introduction of vitamin A.
Goiter candidiasis
This is an inflammation of the goiter sac caused by a yeast fungus of the genus Candida. With this disease, a bag with an unpleasant sour-milk smell accumulates in the pouch. The animal does not eat, it is losing weight, the feather cover is stained with mucus. Can cope with this ailment: goiter massage, antibiotics and probiotics prescribed by the veterinarian.
Sagging goiter
This pathology occurs due to stretching of the muscles of the goiter. It looks like a bag hanging on the chest, while the muscle fibers lose their elasticity. After eating, this organ becomes very noticeable.
This disease can be chronic in nature if the bird often has goiter inflammation or due to irregular nutrition. Being very hungry, the bird eats a lot and stuffs its bag, muscle fibers stretch and lose elasticity. Even its complete immobility can develop. In saggy goiter, food remains longer than usual, therefore, the fermentation process begins and gas concomitant with it. All this can lead to damage to this organ and its rupture. Unfortunately, if a bird has this disease, then it is irreversible and incurable.
To prevent this from happening with the birds that are kept at home, they should always have food in the feeder. The bird will get used to and will not “clog” the goiter.
