Relationship of cecal and colonic motility to diet, habitat, and cecal anatomy in several avian species.

Previous studies have described several types of contactile activity in the ceca and colon of turkeys. Cecal contractions were termed major and minor; major were propulsive, and minor were presumed to be mixing contractions. Both types propagated either orad or aborad. Colonic contractions were termed long-duration and short-duration, with both types being propulsive. Long-duration contractions were directed aborad; short-duration were directed orad, i.e., antiperistaltic. The latter are believed to be responsible for filling of the ceca from colonic contents and for urinary reflux through the colon. Of eight wild species examined radiographically, there appeared to be little relationship between the cecal size, the nature of colonic antiperistalsis, the type of diet, or the availability of water in the habitat for each species.