Like Toucan Sam...

[TGerard]

...they follow their nares: http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1838480,00.html

*Sniff* Hmm, this way to Detroit! :x :lol

[linda040899]

Tim,
That's a very interesting article and thanks for sharing it! Chances are that other birds do the same thing, just not as well.

[Janie]

Tim, very interesting! Makes me wonder about our wild song birds. We used to be told that if you touch their nest or eggs (or even their babies) they will abandon the nest but that of course is false and I've touched many bluebird eggs and nestlings and have read in the last several years that song birds have no sense of smell. So, what do you think? Maybe they do have a sense of smell but just don't give a hoot if their nest are touched by humans. :confused:

[TGerard]

Janie:

I've not heard that song birds lack the sense of smell. It would seem unlikely but, stranger things do occur in nature. My guess about the whole "don't touch a bird's eggs or Momma bird will abandon the nest" warning is that it was an effective way to keep curious little hands from touching and possibly breaking the delicate shells. Can you recall how many little white lies were told to you to keep you out of trouble/harms way?:whistle:

[Janie]

You mean "Santa Claus is coming to town?" :lol Yep, the best part of having kids is getting to pass on those little white lies so that they'll be good! :D

I agree, that rumor probably did get started to keep little hands out of birds nest but I have read in a couple of bird books that they don't have a sense of smell. Wonder how anyone would know that unless the bird told them that! :lol Plus, my bluebirds have sat on the wires watching me do a nest check in their box so whether they could smell me or not, they sure could see me and they've swooped me enough to let me know they see me! :D

[Z28Taxman]

Plus, my bluebirds have sat on the wires watching me do a nest check in their box so whether they could smell me or not, they sure could see me and they've swooped me enough to let me know they see me! :D

Don't try that with tree swallows! At least not ones that don't know you. Trust me. :rofl:

I've read that most birds (parrots included) don't have much of a sense of smell, or taste for that matter. The article I read says that the average human has over 5000 taste buds, while parrots have 500 or so and that the olfactory part of their brain is not very well developed limiting their senses of taste and smell.

[Buy A Paper Doll]

Can you recall how many little white lies were told to you to keep you out of trouble/harms way?:whistle:
When I was little and my brother was a teenager, I would beg and beg to go to Burger King with him and his friends. My parents would actually make him take me! :x You can imagine how uncool it is to have your toddler sister following you everywhere. So he told me that Burger King put ground up worms in the hamburgers. I swear, I couldn't eat anything from that restaurant for YEARS. YEARS, I tell you.

[Z28Taxman]

When I was little and my brother was a teenager, I would beg and beg to go to Burger King with him and his friends. My parents would actually make him take me! :x You can imagine how uncool it is to have your toddler sister following you everywhere. So he told me that Burger King put ground up worms in the hamburgers. I swear, I couldn't eat anything from that restaurant for YEARS. YEARS, I tell you.


Now everyone knows it's McDonalds who does that! :lol