Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!wuarchive!uunet!munnari.oz.au!metro!cluster!andrewt
From: andrewt@cluster.cs.su.oz.au (Andrew Taylor)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: bird digestion (sort of indoor)
Message-ID: <1720@cluster.cs.su.oz.au>
Date: 30 Dec 90 08:05:39 GMT
References: <2707@oucsace.cs.OHIOU.EDU> <3175@legs.UUCP> <277B7116.1C29@intercon.com>
Organization: Dept. of Comp. Science, Uni of Sydney, Australia
Lines: 37

In article <1711@cluster.cs.su.oz.au>, I write:
> Size not faster metabolism is the important difference [in why small
> people can go without food much longer than birds].

This doesn't make much sense, let me try again. Metabolism varies roughly with
the surface area of the animal. Birds have higher metabolic rates than mammals
of the same size. However I'm not sure how resting (basal) metabolic rates
compare between birds and mammals. 

What I should have said was the reason people can fast longer than budgies is
mainly because of the difference in surface area/weight ratios not
because of bird/mammal differences.

I'd believe the important factors in how long a bird can fast 

* surface area / weight (penguins win here)
* surrounding temperature
* adaptions of the particular species

Herbivores probably aren't adapted to fasting, depending on a regular diet.
Birds who feed on larger animals or carrion probably are adapted to fasting.

In article <277B7116.1C29@intercon.com>, ooblick@intercon.com
(Mikki Barry) writes:
> A cockatoo can lose up to 20% of its body weight by not eating for one day.

I'm curious to know more. What sort of cockatoo and is part of this water-loss?

Cockatoos whose habitat is forest can probably depend on a regular diet.
But, in the tropics at least, I would expect storms to occasionally stop them
feeding for 3-4 days.

I would expect arid country cockatoos (e.g. Pink Cockatoo) to be able to
survive for weeks on little food as they travel in search of food in hard times
but I don't know if this is the case.

Andrew (who knows nothing of cage birds or how to treat them)