Bird Digestive System Cards

Front

BEAK

Back

Beaks are used for scooping, pecking, and tearing.

Front

MOUTH

Back

The bird's mouth is the opening where the digestive process starts.

Front

TONGUE

Back

The tongue has several purposes. It helps birds take in their food and sometimes is used to hold a siggling worm or insect. Basically, the tongue directs the food item down the digestive tract.

Front

PHARYNX

Back

The pharynx (FAIR-ingx) is the structure between the mouth and the esophagus that helps the bird swallow the food.

Front

ESOPHAGUS

Back

The esophagus is the tube or tract that leads down to the crop.

Front

CROP

Back

The crop helps store food for the bird. When birds find food, they often eat as much as they can. They cannot digest all of that food at once. The food goes to the crop and can be stored there until the birds are resting in a safe place and the digestion process can continue. Not all birds have true crops. Some birds store food in a large area of their esophagus. This is called a false crop.

Front

PROVENTRICULUS

Back

The proventriculus is the first part of the bird's stomach. This organ secretes an acid that helps break down the food. Birds that eat fish or other animals that contain bones have a larger, more developed proventriculus than other birds.

Front

GIZZARD

Back

The gizzard is the second chamber of a bird's stomach. It has very strong muscles. These muscles are used to grind up foods. But the gizzard alone does not do this. Many bird species pick up small stones, grit or sand. These end up in the gizzard. Together, the gizzard muscles and grit work to pulverize the food.

Front

INTESTINES

Back

The intestines are where the nutrients from the food are absorbed into the bird. The waste products are sent farther down the digestive tract. Some birds have longer intestines than do other birds, depending on their size and what they eat.

Front

CAECA

Back

The word caeca (SEE-kah) is plural for caecum (SEE-cum) because birds usually have two of them. These organs help absorb water and protein and decompose some of the fiber found in bird foods.