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<big><center>[[Oesophagus - Anatomy & Physiology|'''BACK TO OESOPHAGUS''']]</center></big>

Also known as: '''''Ingluvies'''''

==Introduction==

==Introduction==

The crop is a food storage device present in avian species. It is usually used when the muscular stomach (gizzard) is full.

The crop is a food storage device present in avian species. It is usually used when the muscular stomach ([[Gizzard - Anatomy & Physiology|gizzard]]) is full. The crop also softens food.

It is useful tool for avian veterinarians and owners of assessing when the bird last ate and it is especially important to ensure young chicks always have full crops. It is also a common site for impactions and surgical entry to remove foreign bodies.  

It is a useful tool for avian veterinarians and owners for assessing when the bird last ate and it is especially important to ensure young chicks always have full crops. It is also a common site for impactions and surgical entry to remove foreign bodies.

==Functional Anatomy==

The crop is a muscular chamber. It is a fusiform enlargement of the ventral wall of the [[Oesophagus - Anatomy & Physiology|oesophagus]] at the thoracic inlet. It bulges and lies against the breast muscles.

[[Image:Crop_Anatomy.jpg]]

 

The crop is innervated by the '''vagus nerve''' ([[Cranial Nerves - Anatomy & Physiology|CN X]]).

==Species Differences==

==Species Differences==

*No crop in

The crop is small in '''ducks''' and '''geese''' and is much larger and muscular in '''seed eating birds'''. '''Pigeons''' have epithelial cells in their crop sensitive to prolactin which slough when chicks (squabs) hatch, producing crop milk. '''Owls''' have no storage facility in their crops, so produce a pellet of indigestible material after every meal.