How many caeca do birds have?

How many caeca do birds have?

• A. 0
• B. 1
• C. 2
• D. 3

Answer: (C)

Birds typically have two caeca, which are paired blind sacs where the ileum meets the large intestine. These structures host microbes that ferment fibrous material, helping break down tough plant matter and reclaim water and nutrients. Because this paired arrangement is the standard pattern in most species, two is the expected count. Some birds can have only one or none due to specific evolutionary changes, but the common baseline taught is two.

Birds typically have two caeca, which are paired blind sacs where the ileum meets the large intestine. These structures host microbes that ferment fibrous material, helping break down tough plant matter and reclaim water and nutrients. Because this paired arrangement is the standard pattern in most species, two is the expected count. Some birds can have only one or none due to specific evolutionary changes, but the common baseline taught is two.