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Microscopy Study Described the Respiratory System of Adult Spur-winged Geese

Spur-winged goose grazing on grass in Durban
Research · Anatomy & morphology

A Nigerian microscopic study of the respiratory system in spur-winged geese (Plectropterus gambensis) has described tissues from the nasal cavity and larynx through the trachea, bronchi and lungs. The article was published on 28 March 2026 in the Journal of Veterinary Anatomy.

Researchers examined ten apparently healthy adult birds, five males and five females. Tissue samples from the respiratory tract were processed for light microscopy, and histochemical staining was used to characterise mucus-producing glands in several regions.

Mucus-producing structures changed along the upper airways

The front part of the nasal cavity had a modified vestibular epithelium, while the broader region farther back contained nasal conchae lined by both respiratory and olfactory epithelium. The researchers also recorded several types of mucus-producing glands in the nasal lining. In their discussion, the authors note that mucus together with ciliated epithelium forms a mucociliary layer that helps trap and remove foreign material from the airways.

The front of the laryngeal mound was covered by non-keratinised stratified squamous epithelium. Beneath the surface were lymphoid cells, connective tissue and mucus glands ranging from simple acinar to branched tubular forms.

The trachea was lined by pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium with goblet cells. Numerous mucus glands occurred in its lining, and the authors report that these became particularly abundant toward the syrinx. Histochemical staining showed weakly sulfated mucus substances and sialomucins in several gland regions, different acidic components of the protective mucus layer.

The lungs showed the branching airway network typical of birds

Farther into the respiratory system, the extrapulmonary primary bronchi had a lower ciliated epithelium with fewer goblet cells and mucus glands. The lungs contained the branching airway network characteristic of birds, together with pulmonary blood vessels, numerous air capillaries, clusters of lymphoid cells and macrophages.

The authors describe the work as a species-specific anatomical baseline for the respiratory tract of the spur-winged goose. They note that the findings add comparative information on structures involved in respiration, flight, thermoregulation and vocalisation in waterfowl.

Sources and image credit

  1. Malah, M. K., Girgiri, I. A., Burah, S., Majama, Y. B., Gambo, B. G., & Zakariah, M. (2026). Light Microscopic Studies on the Respiratory Apparatus of Adult Spur-winged Geese (Plectropterus gambensis). Journal of Veterinary Anatomy, 19(1), 89–102. https://doi.org/10.21608/jva.2026.492058Primary research article, publication date 28 March 2026. Ten adult spur-winged geese were examined at the University of Maiduguri, Nigeria.

Image: Bernard DUPONT / Wikimedia Commons / Flickr — spur-winged goose photographed grazing in Durban Botanic Gardens, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, 29 December 2018; representative species image; cropped to 16:9 · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source

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