Why birds eat rocks

Sep 23, 2025 9:19 AM

Noventleth

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19400

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365

Dislikes

12

That is one smooth loop.

6 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I learned about gizzards and eating rocks from Jurassic Park when that triceratops got sick.

6 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

this kills the mouse...

6 months ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

6 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

But how do they know to do that?

6 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Probably an instinctive drive to do so, the same reason women (often pregnant) with iron anemia get an urge to eat rocks, dirt, and ice.

6 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

That explains what happened to the marbles in my butterfly water cup.

6 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

The crows probably stole them, those flying goblins.

6 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I learned about this a long time ago when an ostrich stole and swallowed my watch.

6 months ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

#1 also known as a gizzard.

6 months ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 1

so much semi-wrong with this...not all birds use gastroliths...many bird will not use sharp rocks but nice round ones so they dont hurt the bird...also many birds will not regurgitate the used rocks but just eventually pass or fully dissolve them...and those rocks are not only used to grind bones but also various plant matter like seeds or strong fibers...

6 months ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 0

What kind of speeds are those rocks hitting those bones to shatter them like that ?

6 months ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

they grind, not collide

6 months ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 0

mid to low sometimes high probably

6 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

But if they can regurgitate the stones, why not the bones? Like an owl?

6 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Is the mouse OK?

6 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

One would think mother nature would have evolved the birbs differently for a better digestion system.

6 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

It likely would have, if their ancestors hadn't have started eating rocks. At that point, there was no need for them to evolve a 'better' digestion system, as the rocks were working well enough that no mutation seemingly had a noticeable advantage over it. In fact, they likely evolved over time to better be able to do this instead, with the better 'rock eaters' outsurviving/breeding others and expanding their palate to larger prey, so this system is actually just the result of evolution at work.

6 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

It’s really like 50/50 with these CG info videos are serious or not. I was wondering if the bird was going to start eating bullets or something.

6 months ago | Likes 32 Dislikes 0

That's how American eagles do it.

6 months ago | Likes 11 Dislikes 0

Damn, the secret’s out. Who told you?! (Lol)

6 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

No, it starts SPITTING bullets after the rocks are turned into projectiles. Sheesh.

6 months ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

There is a name for these stones a gastrolith

6 months ago | Likes 99 Dislikes 0

The cloaca praises the gastrolith

6 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Why don't the rocks pass into the intestines?

6 months ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

Too big. The mouse will break down as it's digested, the stones will not.

6 months ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

I bet someone out there collects them.

6 months ago | Likes 13 Dislikes 0

And this stone is the rarest of all. It came from the legendary Dodo where my great great x10 grandpappy wiped them out.

6 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

they're delicious. And full of minerals.

6 months ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 0

6 months ago | Likes 126 Dislikes 2

I'll see your three and raise you two more.

6 months ago | Likes 13 Dislikes 0

Bring it on.

6 months ago | Likes 14 Dislikes 0

Whoa! I know when I'm out-oofed!

6 months ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 0

This was great. I love you all.

6 months ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

This is total BS.... Birds eat grain/herbovore mostly and this is why they eat stones to grind the grain...... a tiny percentage of birds eat prey in which case yes same applies. I think its safe to say 95 percent of birds dont eat anything with bones.

6 months ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

My Dude, a chicken will eat anything slow enough and small enough to fit down it's throat. And given time, will peck stationary organisms to suitable sized pieces to swallow.

6 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

My Dude, a Chicken cannot fit a mouse down its throat.....WAKE UP.... look at the scale how big do you think the bird in the picture is.

6 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Uhh, yeah they can... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXjQh_bqtIM Even more impressive, seagull vs. rat... https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VBuBD6fmZg0 And don't even get me started on pellicans... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b4TU_R7J3c

6 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

I've only ever heard of Crocodiles doing this.

6 months ago | Likes 11 Dislikes 3

Chickens do it

6 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Pangolin also do this to help digest ants and termites.

6 months ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

My understanding is snakes and large lizards just have REALLY potent stomach acid that breaks down bone completely within a day or so (as long as they're in a warm spot).

6 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

It's the opposite for me. I thought everyone knew that birds utilize gizzard stones and was completely unaware that crocodiles do something similar. Makes sense though since they're not known for thoroughly chewing their food.

6 months ago | Likes 22 Dislikes 0

Every day is a school day.

6 months ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 0

Knowing these are "gizzard stones" somehow makes it all the more nasty to me that my aunt loved to eat chicken gizzards.

6 months ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

They're not bad if you buy them pre-cleaned, without the tough membrane on the inside. You have to cook them for quite some time to soften them up, but afterwards it's really tasty muscle meat. Hearts are even better though

6 months ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I won't argue otherwise as I've had neither. Wouldn't be fair seeing as I've not tried either.

This was maybe 20 years ago and she got them at a KFC with a buffet. Only place she could get them.

6 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

when you're poor, you use the whole animal! I know some peeps eat gizzards, but the only way i've known to prepare them s to make broth gravy. Wonder how you actually make fried gizzard.

6 months ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0