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Bird Droppings

"Birds excrete nitrogenous waste products in the form of uric acid in a white semi solid state. This is because birds drink little water and cannot afford to excrete voluminous amounts of urine. Not carrying a big bladder full of urine also cuts down weight which is essential for the evolutionary success of birds which fly. Humans, however excrete nitrogenous waste as urea* which dissolves in urine. Freshwater fishes which absorb lots of water effortlessly through osmosis excrete nitroge-nous waste in the form of ammonia dissolved in plenty of dilute urine. Cicak droppings also have a little portion of white uric acid. Have you ever seen cicaks drink water??" (*sometimes anywhere and everywhere when they answer the call of Nature).

[Secretary, Kuan Yaow’s reply to Dr. Sanan whose grandchildren wanted to know why birds' droppings are mostly white in colour.]


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Created on 12th March 1999.