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Why do grebes regurgitate pellets?
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Grebe
Slavonian, or horned, grebe (Podiceps auritus)
Grebes are known for swallowing feathers, which they use to form a plug in the pyloric pocket of their stomach to filter material passing into the intestine.1
For grebes that consume invertebrates containing significant amounts of chitin, the regurgitation of pellets occurs rather frequently as a result of their diet. In contrast, species that primarily eat fish tend to maintain these feather masses in the main portion of the stomach, presumably to hold fish bones until they are fully digested.1