guano

Also known as bird droppings, bird shit, birdshit, bird poop

300px|thumb|The nest of the Peruvian booby is made of almost pure guano. thumb|Human-made Bird Island (Namibia)|Guano Island near [[Walvis Bay in Namibia]] Guano (Spanish from ) is the accumulated excrement of seabirds or bats. Guano is a highly effective fertiliser due to the high content of nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium, all key nutrients essential for plant growth. Guano was also, to a lesser extent, sought for the production of gunpowder and other explosive materials.

AI overview

Guano is the accumulated excrement of seabirds or bats that has historically been valued as a highly effective fertilizer because it contains high levels of nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium—nutrients that plants need to grow. Beyond its use in agriculture, guano was also sought in smaller quantities for producing gunpowder and other explosive materials.

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Wikidata facts

Image: Guano.jpg

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Commons category: Guano
native label: guano

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~28 min read

Article

25 sections

Contents

Composition and properties
Seabird guano
Bat guano
History of human use
Bird guano
Indigenous use
Western discovery (1548–1800)
The Guano Age (1802–1884)
Imperialism
Decline and resurgence
Bat guano
Paleoenvironment reconstruction
Mining
Process
Ecological impacts and mitigation
Bird guano
Bat guano
Work conditions
Human health
Ecological importance
Cultural significance
See also
References
Bibliography
External links

The 19th-century seabird guano trade played a pivotal role in the development of modern input-intensive farming. The demand for guano spurred the human colonisation of remote bird islands in many parts of the world.