[neilep (OP)]

Dearest Bill Oddie and other Twitchers,

As a sheepy I am course known for my charismatic aroma. A scent that drives girlies wild and turns bois too !


But take a look at Campion here:


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He's a rather smart looking birdy isn't he ?....He's called the Hoazin !

Ewe would not want to get stuck in a lift with this guy !(US translation service "lift" = "Elevator"..SHEESH !)


He apparently is the stinkiest of all birds, akin to something that comes out of this  [ Invalid Attachment ]


Also, it's the only bird that has a digestion system similar to a cow !...

so, Why does Campion smell like a cows arse and why is his digestion system similar too ?



I asked my neighbour by dragging him out of his bed at 3am this morning, cuffing and gagging him then driving him to a dairy farm where I proceeded to stick his head up a cows arse...I was hoping the answer would be inside and knowing that he is always willing to partake in my science inquiries I felt he might like this surprise element...I left him there because the cow suddenly took off at speed and my sheepy little legs couldn't keep up. Then this big black cow thing came over and attempted only what I can think of is a leap-frog over that cow..at least I think it was a leap frog, he couldn't really jump over and just ended up resting his legs on the back of my neighbour, I could see though that from his hind legs he was continuously trying to complete the leap..... in any case he made numerous attempts that lasted a few minutes...so, I left my neighbour there, I think he was enjoying it as he was not complaining ! but then, he was rather busy !

So, can ewe help ?


Thanks



mwah mwah mwah




neil
5,000 light years from birdland
xxxxxxxxxxx

[blakestyger]

If you go to St Abb's Head in the summer and stand over the sea bird colony on the cliffs there it will seem as if Campion here smells of violets! [xx(]

[neilep (OP)]

If you go to St Abb's Head in the summer and stand over the sea bird colony on the cliffs there it will seem as if Campion here smells of violets! [xx(]

Thank ewe blakestyger

Why yes, yes I will go to St Abb's Head and breathe in the birdy goodness. I am sure it will afford me a new appreciation of Campions sweet scent !  []

[JimBob]

My, that's a strange bird - and very primitive, too. I would suggest it is most closely related to the original birds than any other bird species presently extant.

[yor_on]

EEyy, that's no bird.
That's an alien...

[blakestyger]

This interesting bird enjoys a very comprehensive Wikipedia entry.

It's unusual in that, instead of becoming clearer, it's taxonomy was made even more confusing when it's DNA was used. []

[blakestyger]

The Hoatzin's unusual digestive system is due to its diet of leaves - it needs an extended intestinal tract to aid the digestion of cellulose; probably in much the same way that the gorilla and proboscis monkey (which eats only mangrove leaves) has. Which is why it looks so fat.

[Pseudogene]

The Hoatzin's unusual digestive system is due to its diet of leaves - it needs an extended intestinal tract to aid the digestion of cellulose; probably in much the same way that the gorilla and proboscis monkey (which eats only mangrove leaves) has. Which is why it looks so fat.

I believe the part about bovine digestion may also be due to the recruitment of lysozyme in foregut fermentation, a characteristic that has evolved no less than three times independently! (Bovines, Hoatzin and Langur monkey's).