Position of the uropygial gland, indicated on a budgerigarUropygial gland of a blue jay
The uropygial gland, informally known as the preen gland or the oil gland, is a bilobed sebaceous gland possessed by the majority of birds used to distribute the gland's oil through the plumage by means of preening. It is located dorsally at the base of the tail (between the fourth caudal vertebra and the pygostyle) and is greatly variable in both shape and size. In some species, the opening of the gland has a small tuft of feathers to provide a wick for the preen oil (see below). It is a holocrine gland enclosed in a connective tissue capsule made up of glandular acini that deposit their oil secretion into a common collector tube ending in a variable number of pores (openings), most typically two. Each lobe has a central cavity that collects the secretion from tubules arranged radially around the cavity. The gland secretion is conveyed to the surface via ducts that, in most species, open at the top of a papilla (nipple-like structure).[1]
^Salibian, A. & Montalti, D. (2009). "Physiological and biochemical aspects of the avian uropygial gland". Brazilian Journal of Biology. 69 (2): 437–46. doi:10.1590/S1519-69842009000200029. PMID 19675950.
The uropygialgland, informally known as the preen gland or the oil gland, is a bilobed sebaceous gland possessed by the majority of birds used to distribute...
cooking. It has a swollen appearance because it also contains the uropygialgland that produces preen oil. Pygostyles probably began to evolve very early...
the nest. The uropygialgland of the incubating and brooding female is quickly modified to produce a foul-smelling liquid, and the glands of nestlings...
brittle. To facilitate that care, many bird species have a preen or uropygialgland, which opens above the base of the tail feathers and secretes a substance...
duck directly around the preen gland (uropygialgland); they are very buoyant due to preen oil produced by the preen gland. They are used when tying dry...
the uropygialgland also contain carotenoids. During the breeding season, greater flamingos increase the frequency of their spreading uropygial secretions...
beak Preen gland, also called the uropygialgland, an oil gland found in many bird species Preen oil, an oil made by the uropygialgland found in many...
the nest. The uropygialgland of the incubating and brooding female is quickly modified to produce a foul-smelling liquid, and the glands of nestlings...
colors may be created, or altered, by secretions from the uropygialgland, also called the preen gland. The yellow bill colors of many hornbills are produced...
adaptations mean that barn owls do not use the uropygialgland, informally the "preen" or "oil" gland, as most birds do, to spread oils across their plumage...
unnecessary to oil their feathers. Adult ratites have no preen gland (uropygialgland) that contains preening oil. Paleognaths as a whole tend to have...
skin glands, although there may be a few structures for specific purposes, such as pheromone-secreting cells in some reptiles, or the uropygialgland of...
body that are usually targeted are the base of the tail over the uropygial or preen gland, the back, the tail feathers and the wing feathers. Although feather...
upper, side of a bird's wing. Compare: underwing. uropygialgland Also, preen gland; oil gland. A gland found at the rump, at the base of the tail that...
ospreys and pelicans, which coat their feathers with oils from the uropygialgland, the anhinga does not have this ability; anhinga lack waterproof feathers...
possible by its feather disposition and a specialized gland near the tail called the uropygialgland. This secretes a greasy and hydrophobic liquid that...
Jürgen Jacob; Martin Kaiser; Siegfried Eck (2004). "Chemistry of the uropygialgland secretion of Hume's ground jay Pseudopodoces humilis and its taxonomic...
attracted to adult birds than nestlings, by differentiating between uropygialgland secretions of different ages (tested in Passer domesticus). There are...
the contour feathers of water birds. The only cutaneous gland is the single uropygialgland near the base of the tail. This produces an oily secretion...
antiparasitic defence—such as stronger T cell immune response or larger uropygialglands—harbour more taxa of Amblyceran lice than others. Reductions in the...
with the common loon to which it is attracted to chemicals in the uropygialgland secretions as well as by visual and tactile cues. This fly is detrimental...
nape, and red legs. Unusual among Galliformes, the great argus has no uropygialgland. The male is one of the largest of all pheasants, measuring 160–200 cm...
brush away foreign particles and to apply waxy secretions from the uropygialgland; these secretions protect the feathers' flexibility and act as an antimicrobial...
purple, green, copper, bronze, and gold iridescence. The preen gland (uropygialgland) is also larger in males compared to females. In contrast to the...
herrings (Clupea pallasii). Like all cormorants, due to their vestigial uropygialgland their plumage is not waterproof. Thus, the birds return to a safe place...
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