The Role of Chemical Signals in Avian Communication: A Review

Abstract

Avian species studied to date have a functioning sense of smell and use it for a variety of functions, including foraging and selection for mates. However, compared to other senses in birds, there has been relatively little research targeted towards olfaction, and it is far too often overlooked when designing experiments or interpreting experiments in which birds have been used as animals. The objective of this brief review is to provide a general review of our current state of knowledge about avian olfaction, and in this review, we are specifically focusing on articles on the chemical communication of birds. We are bringing to prominence studies, species, and topics potentially of greatest relevance to readers who are involved in research in animal behavior or cognition, and we finish by proposing some avenues for research in the future.