FINCHforum

Can finches break down cellulose and get nutritional value from it? As heartily as they chow on greens, it seems they might. I feel sure that geese can. Maybe most if not all birds can?

nopEda wrote:Can finches break down cellulose and get nutritional value from it? . . . Maybe most if not all birds can?

It looks like birds in general can:

"Like mammals, birds do not produce the enzymes that allow them to digest cellulose so they can only do so by housing these bacteria."
http://www.earthlife.net/birds/digestion.html

So apparently they can break cellulose down into sugar like they can starch, and get nutritional value from greens like they can from seeds. Good to know.

Good research!! Nice post.

Interesting bird fact of the day

In ancient times amazonian indians would "colorfeed" their captive parrots the fat of catfish and pirahna to alter the colors for ceremonial head dresses.