Question

In birds, crop is
a) Modified oesophagus
b) Modified stomach
c) Early part of small intestine
d) Rectum

Answer 1

Hint: In birds, the crop is present and functions as the storage organ for food eaten by the birds. The crop can be expanded and changed into a secondary stomach also.

Complete answer:
The crop present in the birds is the muscular pouch. It is located above the chest of the bird and lies in the neck region. It is an enlargement of the oesophagus or we can say that it is a modified oesophagus. It is mainly used for the storage of food. Food from there is sent to the gizzard or the stomach of the birds where the digestion of food takes place. No digestion process takes place in the crop. This secondary stomach helps in settling the food more easily. The crop can also be used to feed the young ones and also their mates. The adult birds produce crop milk. The stomachs in the birds have divided into two parts namely proventriculus and the gizzard. the food passes from the crop into the proventriculus where there is a release of the digestive juices which break down the food. From there the food is transported to the gizzard which helps in the grinding of the food. The waste from the kidney is then sent into the small intestine where the undigested food lies. They both get mixed up and are released together from the opening called the cloaca.

So, the correct answer is option A.

Note:
The crop is part of the digestive tract. It is part of the food pipe. The infection in the crop can lead to the food content getting sour so it is called the sour crop. Crop infections are mostly caused by bacteria and yeast.