The part of the digestive tract of birds which secrets gastric juice is the

The part of the digestive tract of birds which secretes gastric juice is the proventriculus. The proventriculus is a glandular organ that is located between the crop and the gizzard in the digestive tract of birds. It is responsible for secreting hydrochloric acid and enzymes that break down food in the stomach. When birds consume food, it is stored in the crop before it is passed on to the proventriculus. In the proventriculus, gastric juice is secreted and mixed with the food to begin the process of digestion. Once the food has been partially digested in the proventriculus, it passes on to the gizzard, where it is mechanically ground up into smaller particles before passing on to the small intestine. Therefore, the proventriculus is a critical part of the digestive system of birds, as it is responsible for the initial breakdown of food through the secretion of gastric juice.