There were no visual differences between the two feeders offered in each of the experiments. "This is pretty exciting, as it is the first clear demonstration of hummingbirds using their sense of smell alone to make foraging decisions and avoid contact with potentially dangerous insects at a flower or feeder," said Erin Wilson Rankin, a study co-author.įor their experiments, the researchers allowed more than 100 hummingbirds to choose between two feeders, either sugar water alone, or sugar water plus one of several chemicals whose scent signaled the presence of an insect. ![]() A paper describing the experiments is published in Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. National Science Foundation have shown for the first time that not only can hummingbirds smell insects, but also that scent may help them stay out of danger while looking for nectar to eat. University of California, Riverside scientists funded by the U.S. For these reasons, scientists did not previously believe the birds possessed the ability to smell things. In addition, flowers pollinated by birds generally do not have strong odors, unlike those pollinated by insects. Earlier studies were unable to demonstrate that hummingbirds showed a preference for the smell of flowers containing nectar. However, hummingbirds' olfactory bulbs are, like the rest of their bodies, extremely small. ![]() Researchers have known for some time that vultures have a highly sensitive sense of smell, with some species being compared to "airborne bloodhounds." This is due in part to their large olfactory bulbs - tissue in the brain that controls smell. That is the result of new University of California, Riverside research showing, contrary to popular belief, these tiny birds do have an active sense of smell. In less time than it takes to read this sentence, hummingbirds can catch a whiff of potential trouble.
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