Where are the salt glands located that enable the albatross to excrete excess salt concentrate?
Answer
Above the eyes
The Wandering Albatross, like other petrels and shearwaters, possesses specialized salt glands crucial for osmoregulation in its highly saline environment. These glands are anatomically situated directly above the eyes. Their function is to concentrate the excess salt ingested either from seawater or salty prey items. Once concentrated, this brine solution is excreted, causing it to drip visibly from the nostrils, thereby allowing the bird efficient management of its internal salt balance while living perpetually over the ocean.
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