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Name: Noma-Afrika Goso
Status: educator
Age: 30s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 2/23/2003
Question:
Where do the small stones "false teeth" in the fowl's gizzard come from and why are they all the same colour and size ?

Replies:
The birds pick up and swallow stones as they do food. Different birds prefer different types of stones, and apparantly select them visually. Birds may also get mineral nutrition from the grinding of stones with food in the gizzard. Some odd items that have been found in various bird's gizzards include gold nuggets, ruby, glass, lead (which can cause lead poisoning), cinders and coal. All birds have gizzards but many do not pick up grit.

J. Elliott

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