Avian+-+Cockatiel

=Avian - Cockatiel=

Pre-Small Intestine (Group 1 - Courtney Anderson)
First, food is taken into the birds mouth through the beak, birds do not chew their food. Birds have to tilt their head back to get the food to the esophagus. Next, the food enters the crop which is just an enlarged part of the esophagus where food can be stored until digestion. Next is the stomach which is divided into two parts, the proventriculus and the gizzard. The proventriculus is a tube-like area that produces a large amount of digestice juices such as pepsin and HCl. Then the food goes to the gizzard which is highly muscular and it grinds up the food into small pieces. The gizzard often contain small pebbles to help with the breaking up of food.

Small Intestine (Group 1 - Whitney Barnes)
The small intestine is a long narrow tube and a major digestive organ. This tube has a mucosal layer that makes it quicker to digest food quicker. Because this organ is so small, the chances of nutrients hitting the side, absorption increases.The Duoderum(first part of the small intestine-12 inches from the beginning) is the entry site to many digestive enzymes and juices. Amylase and bicarbonate help balance the amount of HCL obtained in previous steps as well as bile from the liver. The small intestine of the avian has no distinction between the Jejunum and Ileum. Therefore, this part continues absorption of endproducts. Villi within the small intestine increase surface area coverage to help increase area for nutrients to absorb. Amino acids, monosaccarides absorb into blood.

The ceca are part of the Large Intestine. The ceca are two pouches between the small and large intestines. The ceca absorb coarse materials left over from the digestion process. The ceca produce fatty acids as well as B Vitamins like Thiamine, riboflavin, biotin, folic acid, etc. Because the ceca are located towards the end of the digestive tract very few nutrients are able to be absorbed for their benefit. The left over coarse materials break down and are released through their feces 2-3 times per day.

Post Large Intestine (Group 1 - Kim Culver)

 * Vent**- Last part of the alimentary tract and controls exit of feces. Cockatiel feces are green and brown droppings. A healthy cockatiel’s feces will be odorless. Cockatiel’s urine and poop at the same time so they have three visible parts which include feces, urinate, and urine. Birds have a cloaca (area for exit of repro tract, urinary and digestive tracts).