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Index of Subjects Yup. Salt Glands are above the eyes in birds and often deposit the salt in the nostrils so the salt can be blown out. Most mammals and birds use their kidneys as primary methods for getting rid of salt, but seabirds take in excess salt water, and need the help of salt glands. I seem to recall that even one of the sparrows (Seaside?) has salt glands. The pronounced nostrils that you are remembering may not be from albatrosses, but from the "tubenoses", petrels and shearwaters. However, I don't claim any expertise in austral avian architecture! :) 2009/4/6 <Hubcove@aol.com>: > Re. Nostrils, I recall from my days traversing the Southern Ocean many years > ago that the albatrosses that followed the ships constantly had rather > pronounced nostrils which I believe they used to get rid of salt.( not sure > how they separated it) They also had no problem finding floating sources of > food, sometimes from us or other ships. Whether it was by sight or smell I > am not sure. > Peter Stow > Hubbards Randy _________________________________ RF Lauff Way in the boonies of Antigonish County, NS.
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