Can Birds Smell? How Birds Use Their Sense of Smell to Find Food and Seeds

Almost every birder has wondered if birds can smell and if they have a sense of smell. These are lingering questions that have begged for answers for so long. Some birders have ruled that birds do not have a sense of smell, while some feel that birds have a sense of smell that they use to smell their food and seeds.

Let's uncover the secrets of birds' sense of smell.

Do birds have a sense of smell?

Yes, birds can smell, and they use this ability in various ways.

In the context of birds' sense of smell, the only nerves that facilitate the sense of smell in every animal are the olfactory lobe. The fact that birds have nostrils that lead to the nasal cavity indicates a working olfactory receptor and a well-functioning sense of smell.

A recent genomic study by the National Library of Medicine identified many olfactory receptors in birds' brains. The study further outlined well-documented psychological evidence of electrical impulses in birds' olfactory nerves and brains. These findings support the notion that birds have a well-responsive and functional olfactory system.

How Birds Use Their Sense of Smell to Find Food 

The general misconception about birds' ability to smell was an age-old phenomenon forged by many who erroneously considered them less of a mammal compared to other animals like dogs and cats. 

But times are changing, and a series of scientific studies into this and advancements in the study of bird behaviour, most especially the use of smart bird baths and bird feeders, have reinforced the fact that birds can smell. 

Just like an average human being, when birds breathe in air with their nostrils, they take in different scents and many combinations of molecules. The bird's nostril works like that of any other animal in the sense that the scent picked up is processed as information and sent into the bird's brain. So when this gets into the brain, the olfactory system hijacks it and decides whatever scent it is for the birds to act upon.

The number of smell receptors in a bird’s brain plays a big role in how well it can smell. Some birds have a lot of these receptors, while others have very few. These receptors don’t just help birds detect smells, they also help them figure out where the smell is coming from.

Also, not every bird species has the same number of olfactory receptors. This is an indication that some birds rely more on their sense of smell than the others. The following is the breakdown of different types of bird species and how frequently they use or rely on their sense of smell.

Can birds smell food?  

Since birds possess a functioning sense of smell, they can smell their food. Although not every bird relies on this ability, a large number of bird species rely on their sense of smell to locate food. 

It's indisputable that food is important to birds' survival. Just like any other animal, when food like decomposed fish, ripe fruits, and others releases an odor, birds' nostrils pick up the smell and send it to the olfactory epithelium. The scent signal sent to the olfactory epithelium is processed and classified as the type and form of food available. 

Each bird species has different ways of smelling food. This variation is dependent on birds' diet, foraging methods, and, most importantly, their habitat.

For instance:

● Turkey Vulture: The most famous bird with a well-functioning sense of smell.

○ Forages by following the scent of gas (ethyl mercaptan) produced by decaying animals.

○ Relies on its sense of smell to locate food, regardless of where it is hidden.

● Tubenose Birds (e.g., Petrels, Albatrosses, Shearwaters): Feed on fish, squid, krill, and other sea creatures.

○ Follow the gaseous smell (dimethyl sulphide) released by phytoplankton when grazed upon by zooplankton.

○ Track these faint odors across vast ocean areas to find productive feeding spots.

● Kiwi Birds: Flightless and nocturnal, with nostrils located at the tip of their beaks.

○ Use their sense of smell while probing underground for earthworms, insects, and invertebrates.

○ Rely on olfaction to pinpoint the exact location of food beneath the surface.

Can birds smell seeds?  

Yes, birds can smell seeds, most especially the seed-eating bird species that have learned to combine their eyesight with their sense of smell to locate grain fields or bird feeders where bird seeds are found. 

Typically, most backyard birds are naturally attracted to sunflower seeds, safflower, thistle, cracked corn, and others compared to mixtures of red millets, oats, and other fillers. So, for birds to filter out the seeds they want amongst hordes of fillers, birds smell the seeds to eat out the delectable sunflowers and other delicious bird seeds. 

That's why, in most cases, the bird seed mixtures you put inside your smart bird feeders are mostly left scattered, with some seeds eaten and others left behind, leading to lots of wastage.

Conclusion

With extensive inference from scientific studies, close observation of bird behaviors, and bird anatomical research, we have put to bed the very debatable question of "Can birds smell?" 

Not only can birds smell, but they also have a well-developed sense of smell that allows them to smell foods and even bird seeds.