The digestion of bulbils (Polygonum viviparum L.) and berries (Vaccinium myrtillus L. and Empetrum sp.) by captive ptarmigan (Lagopus mutus).

Abstract

1. The digestion of three foods favoured by ptarmigan (Lagopus mutus) in the wild was studied using captive birds. 2. Bulbils of Polygonum viviparum L. were a good source of metabolizable energy, protein and phosphorus, but were deficient in sodium. Berries of Vaccinium myrtillus L. were the most digestible of the three foods, contained enough protein and P for maintenance, but were probably deficient in Na. A diet of Empetrum sp. berries caused the birds to be in negative nitrogen and P balance, but provided adequate Na. Both species of berries were rich sources of soluble carbohydrate. 3. In the wild, ptarmigan eat a mixed diet, which presumably provides adequate Na, protein and P. 4. The relative proportions of the various end-products of N metabolism varied according to the protein content of the food. With the diet of Vaccinium berries (11 g N/kg dry matter) roughly equal amounts of ammonium salts and urates were excreted. With Polygonum bulbils (29 g N/kg dry matter) the quantities of ammonium salts and urates excreted were similar to those with Vaccinium berries, but some urea was also excreted and about half the N in the birds' droppings was in an unidentified form. 5. When eating Empetrum berries, ptarmigan digested lignin and tannins and excreted ornithurates. The benzoic acid moiety of the ornithuric acid molecule may have been derived partly from the digested lignin and tannins.