Parrots take it with a Grain of salt: Available sodium content may drive collpa (Clay Lick) selection in Southeastern Peru

Abstract

Soils from 18 parrot collpas ('clay licks') in southeastern Peru averaged four times more available sodium than uneaten control soils. Collpa soils contained marginally more clay than control sites and clay content was uncorrelated with available sodium content. Parrots may select and ingest soils based on available sodium content. © 2008 by The Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation.