This is bird note.

Birds lay eggs.

That means they don't nurse their young, right?

Well, have you ever heard of something called pigeon milk?

Pigeons, one of the most ancient of domesticated birds, feed their nestlings a peculiar

milky liquid, straight from the adult's beak to the baby's throat.

It's often called crop milk, because it comes from special cells in the bird's crop.

The crop's a section of the lower esophagus in some

birds that's used for storing food before digestion. Unlike milk from mammals, pigeon milk

doesn't come from a mammary gland, but it does come loaded with antioxidants and immune

boosters that help the new hatchlings survive. A couple of days

before their eggs hatch, both pigeon parents start making the milky substance, which they'll

feed their hatchlings over the first 10 days of their lives. When the special feeding stops,

the special crop milk cells return to normal.

Pigeons and doves aren't the only birds that can make this special milk.

Flamingos and some species of penguins can, too.

For bird note, I'm Michael Stein.

This episode is brought to you by Wild Delight Bird Food,

which aims to support wild bird populations with clean, nutritious ingredients in every blend.

Available at chewy.com.