Farting birds – food for thought

YC Wee
on 27th August 2011

“I was watching the 2009 BBC documentary “Life” on DVD last night, and I noticed something vaguely familiar while I was watching the segment on the Vogelkop Bowerbird LINK.

“From 4:47 onwards, and particularly at 5:05, notice that the feathers at the opening of the vent of the female bowerbird are splayed open in much the same way as the bird in the pic of the 30 June 2009 BESG post (“Do Birds Fart?”) LINK.

“So perhaps the myna in the BESG post was not farting, but was actually a female bird that was photographed preparing to mate with a nearby male? Or perhaps vent feathers are just stiff feathers which splay open when a bird bends over.

“Just food for thought…”

Lena Chow
Singapore
18th August 2011

Note: Interesting theory, but is it possible that the vent also opens when the bird farts? What do readers think?

Image by Forest Ang.

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

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