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.