Salt excretion in the Australian pipit, Anthus novaeseelandiae (Aves : Motacillidae)

Abstract

Salt loading and treatment with cortisol did not induce nasal secretion of inorganic ions in pipits, and the structure of the glands did not appear to change after three consecutive days of the treatment. Salt loading did show that pipits could excrete urine containing sodium ions at NaCl concentrations of up to 570 m-equiv/l. It is concluded that the nasal glands in A. novaeseelandiae are not important in the excretion of electrolytes.