Bonus Fun Fact: Birds, as well as reptiles and amphibians, have a single opening from which they expel urine and feces, as well as do all their sexual business. This opening is called a cloaca, and it is the business end for all of the business. If you are reading this, you are likely familiar with how this differs from humans and most other mammals.
Bonus Bonus Fun Fact: A select and lucky few mammals also have cloacae. The most famous of these being the platypus which, along with other living members of the Monotreme Order, are the only mammals that lay eggs.
| I know I’m a biologist and should be clinical about these things, but I can’t bring myself to include a picture of a cloaca. That is to say, I don’t want to commit to having to look at that for the rest of the life of this blog. I just don’t want that for myself. However, you can see for yourself, if you’re so inclined. |
Jason E. Andersen 
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