Spanish scientists have shown for the first time that birds are capable of detecting the presence of a predator thanks to their fine sense of smell .
The research, carried out from the National Museum of Natural Sciences of the CSIC and published in the international journal Functional Ecology , provides evidence that birds differentiate their predators by chemical signals . The olfactory acuity of certain species, especially of birds that breed cavities, such as blue tit or chickadee, is an essential trait to determine if their main predators, weasels or martens, have entered their nest or even if they approach it with intent. to attack. That is why it is important to distinguish whether the "enemy" is a weasel or someone more harmless, such as a quail.
According to the scientists, the study "opens up a promising new area of research to understand many aspects of bird behavior, which have been ignored until now."
