Water conservation in xerophilic birds

Adaptation of birds to dry climates involves decrease in relative evaporative water loss (mechanism unknown); decrease in GFR; and high urine osmolality in the dehydrated state in conjunction with cloacal resorption parameters, which allows the urine to enter the cloaca without a further water loss. The net result of the adaptations is such that the best adapted birds, such as the budgerygah (12) and the zebra finch (13) fed dry seeds alone can live without water. Similar features have been observed also in the best adapted desert rodents (27). Finally, birds tolerate a 7 to 13% increase in plasma osmolality (9). Tucker (28) has calculated that the budgerygah has fuel for 14 h flight; we have calculated that it also has water for 14 h (12) at neutral temperature and humidity. This is better than the Jumbo Jet, which can only fly for 12 h.