title: Partner-specific odor recognition in an Antarctic seabird.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Ecology Group, CNRS-Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, 1919 route de Mende, F-34293 Montpellier, Cedex 5, France. bonadonna@cefe.cnrs.fr
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bonadonna
authors.forename: Gabrielle A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Nevitt
mesh_terms: 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*