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

Yelof · 05-02-2002, 11:16 AM

In India Vultures dying off, tradition of burial by exposure suffering.

"During the 1980s, 100 to 150 vultures would descend on a single carcass, stripping it to the bone within 20 minutes," said Prakash. "You would never find a carcass in the 80s, only a skeleton. Now the carcasses just rot and stink for days."

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...uredieoff.html

Torrere · 05-03-2002, 01:21 AM

Very interesting article, Yelof.

I'd like to see the Towers of Silence someday, they and they practices associated with them sound pretty cool.

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

05-02-2002, 11:16 AM	#2
Yelof neither here nor there Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 179	In India Vultures dying off, tradition of burial by exposure suffering. "During the 1980s, 100 to 150 vultures would descend on a single carcass, stripping it to the bone within 20 minutes," said Prakash. "You would never find a carcass in the 80s, only a skeleton. Now the carcasses just rot and stink for days." http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...uredieoff.html

05-03-2002, 01:21 AM	#3
Torrere a real smartass Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Kirkland, WA Posts: 1,121	Very interesting article, Yelof. I'd like to see the Towers of Silence someday, they and they practices associated with them sound pretty cool.

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