Replied by Aparna Heroor (अपर्णा हेरूर) thru Quora
Such an interesting question. Thanks to your question, I learned something new today!
The following birds have been known to produce “milk.”
Pigeons: The milk in pigeons, called crop-milk, high in protein, is produced by a sloughing of fluid-filled cells from the lining of the crop- a thin walled, sac-like chamber that stores food situated at the bottom of the esophagus.
Doves too have been found to produce crop milk.
Greater Flamingos: The milk produced by these birds is high in fat content than protein, and it’s production is not limited to the esophagus, but also in glands lining the entire upper digestive tract.
Emperor Penguins: In winter, while the female penguin is out at sea looking for food, the male penguin stays behind, keeping the eggs warm for an entire 2 whole months. If the female hasn’t returned by the time the chick hatches, the male feeds it milk secreted by the esophagus.
Apparently pigeon milk contains more fat and protein than cow or human milk!
References and Images in comment.
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