Histological study of gastrointestinal tract in Squacco heron Ardeola ralloides and Rock dove Columba livia .

Abstract

Three parts of gastrointestinal tract (esophagus,proventriculus and small intestine) in Squacco heron(carnivorous)and Rock dove (granivorous) were selected to recognize the histolgical structure of each part and compared according to kind of feeding in both birds. The esophageal glands were found in mucosa of squacco heron whereas they were found in submucosa of rock dove. The histological structure of proventriculus was similar in both birds. The villi in squacco heron were longer and the goblet cells were more numerous than in rock dove . It was concluded that the modification in histological structure of gastrointestinal tract may occur in relation with the difference in the kind of feeding in each bird.