5/2/2002: Shit-eating bird

Undertoad · 05-02-2002, 10:26 AM

This is the Egyptian vulture. Scientists believe that its beautiful orange beak and yellow face helps it to attract mates.

But it has a problem: that coloring is produced by beta-carotene, and the bird needs a ton of beta-carotene to produce good coloration.

The best place to find beta-carotene, it turns out, is in the feces of hooved animals. And so the bird scarfs down that dung.

The full story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci...00/1946291.stm

05-02-2002, 10:26 AM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	5/2/2002: Shit-eating bird This is the Egyptian vulture. Scientists believe that its beautiful orange beak and yellow face helps it to attract mates. But it has a problem: that coloring is produced by beta-carotene, and the bird needs a ton of beta-carotene to produce good coloration. The best place to find beta-carotene, it turns out, is in the feces of hooved animals. And so the bird scarfs down that dung. The full story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci...00/1946291.stm

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