When it comes to a song sparrow attracting a mate, the little feathered fellow may want forget about the singing audition and worry more about his smell, according to one Western PhD student.
Biologist Leanne Grieves has discovered that preen oil, long assumed to be used by birds for waterproofing and feather maintenance, may actually be saying more than we thought. Her findings not only offer insights into how birds attract mates, but also warn how human alterations to the environment may be masking matters.
“People used to think birds couldn’t smell or that smell was not at all important for them. But in the last 20 years or so, we have been looking more deeply at this,” Grieves said. “We usually think about birds singing to attract mates and using their plumage, too. From the human aspect, we see and hear these beautiful birds and we think that’s all they need.”
But she believes there is far more to consider.
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Image via Western University.