Partner-specific odor recognition in an Antarctic seabird.
Among birds, the Procellariiform seabirds (petrels, albatrosses, and shearwaters) are prime candidates for using chemical cues for individual recognition. These birds have an excellent olfactory sense, and a variety of species nest in burrows that they can recognize by smell. However, the nature of the olfactory signature--the scent that makes one burrow smell more like home than another--has not been established for any species. Here, we explore the use of intraspecific chemical cues in burrow recognition and present evidence for partner-specific odor recognition in a bird.
Bonadonna
Francesco
F
Behavioural Ecology Group, CNRS-Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, 1919 route de Mende, F-34293 Montpellier, Cedex 5, France. bonadonna@cefe.cnrs.fr
Nevitt
Gabrielle A
GA
D000818:Animals; D000864:Antarctic Regions; D001717:Birds / Q000502:physiology*; D003463:Cues; D009425:Nesting Behavior; D009812:Odorants; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*