The herbivore parts result from a study made of the Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa, directed by the
National Hunting and Wildlife Agency - ONCFS
National Hunting and Wildlife Agency - ONCFS
Food digestibility varies. The different kinds of food that a given bird eats are not recovered in the same
proportions in its faeces. The digestibility of arthropods and plants is different, as it is between species,
organs or tissues. This parameter has to be measured with captive birds.
Galliformes and Columbiformes are the only birds that possess a true crop. In this organ, the food is
contained intact and its study is much easier than with faeces.
Tissues determination from ingested plant organs by faeces analysis requires the establishment of a
complete reference collection. Cell structure variability in plants often permits a specific recognition,
particularly by examining epiderms. But there does not exist any specific key determination. In order to
identify plants and to assess the risk of mistakes between closely related species, all plants of the bird's
feeding area must be collected. To distinguish between species, it is first necessary to distinguish the
different kinds of organs by examining the different kinds of tissues.
We used a light microscope with x100 magnification. The photographs presented here were taken with
a 2 million pixels hand-held camera.
proportions in its faeces. The digestibility of arthropods and plants is different, as it is between species,
organs or tissues. This parameter has to be measured with captive birds.
Galliformes and Columbiformes are the only birds that possess a true crop. In this organ, the food is
contained intact and its study is much easier than with faeces.
Tissues determination from ingested plant organs by faeces analysis requires the establishment of a
complete reference collection. Cell structure variability in plants often permits a specific recognition,
particularly by examining epiderms. But there does not exist any specific key determination. In order to
identify plants and to assess the risk of mistakes between closely related species, all plants of the bird's
feeding area must be collected. To distinguish between species, it is first necessary to distinguish the
different kinds of organs by examining the different kinds of tissues.
We used a light microscope with x100 magnification. The photographs presented here were taken with
a 2 million pixels hand-held camera.
Seed integument of Scots pine
Pinus sylvestris
Pinus sylvestris
©ONCFS
