Urate salts

Definition

Urate salts are compounds formed when uric acid combines with various cations like sodium, potassium, or ammonium. These salts are a primary form of nitrogenous waste in birds.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Birds excrete urate salts instead of urea to conserve water.
2. Urate salts are less soluble in water, resulting in the paste-like consistency of bird droppings.
3. The production of urate salts occurs in the liver where uric acid is synthesized from purines.
4. In birds, urate salts are transported to the cloaca for excretion alongside feces.
5. The white component of bird droppings primarily consists of urate salts.

Review Questions

• Why do birds excrete urate salts instead of urea?
• What is the role of the liver in the production of urate salts?
• How do urate salts affect the consistency and appearance of bird droppings?

Related terms

Cloaca: A common chamber into which the intestinal, urinary, and reproductive tracts open in birds.

Uric Acid: A waste product formed from the breakdown of purines that is converted into urate salts for excretion in birds.

Kidneys: Organs that filter blood to produce urine or other waste products like urate salts in different organisms.