Study of birds' sense of smell reveals important clues for behavior, adaptation
Wednesday, July 29, 2015 - 12:50
in Biology & Nature
From slight sparrows to preening peacocks to soaring falcons, birds have long been known to possess distinct abilities in their sense of smell, but little has been known about the evolution of olfaction. A large comparative genomic study of the olfactory genes tied to a bird's sense of smell has revealed important differences that correlate with their ecological niches and specific behaviors.