Can birds smell ,as in sniffing, that is the question.?

Answer 1

Whether birds have a sense of smell or not has been a much debated question by ornithologists. Modern data based on experiments and anatomy of both the nasal cavities and the olfactory lobes of the brain suggest that most birds have practically no sense of smell. The exceptions are Kiwis which have poor eyesight and hunt worms using their sense of smell. Several species of tubenoses which can detect the smells of fish oils floating on the surface of the sea, allowing them to find schools of fish or anchovies because their messy feeding causes an oily scum to form on the surface of the sea. The third group of birds definitely known to use smell to locate food are the vultures - both old world and new world species have been shown to find carcasses by smell to varying degrees. Other groups of birds with well developed olfactory lobes, but for which the actual evidence of the use of smell to locate prey is lacking, include various waders, many water birds, nightjars and swifts.
Most birds have two external nostrils or 'nares' situated near the base of the top mandible of their bills. In species of tubenoses (Shearwaters, Albatrosses, Petrels, etc) these are accompanied by large external growths, in other birds they are inconspicuous. In Kiwis the nostrils are situated near the tip of the bill not the base and in Gannets the external openings are closed - they have alternative openings on the inside of the the upper mandible of the bill.
Birds breathe through these nostrils which lead the air into a series of three internal nasal cavities. These purify the air of dust, etc, and humidity before it enters the respiratory system thus preventing damage to the delicate tissues of the lungs.

Answer 2

Most birds have a very weak sense of smell...some species that need to smell to find food, such as vultures and kiwis have a good sense of smell. This is the reason you can actually handle eggs or babies in a nest and the adults are none the wiser because they cannot smell you scent on their nest.

Answer 3

Yes they can produce mess such as throwing their fruits and vegetables, and sometimes their droppings can smell, but you can only really smell the droppings if you put your nose against it, and I think few people want to do that.

Or did you mean the bird itself.

That depends on the specie

Pionus parrots emit a foul smelling odor when excited, but for most birds if you get close to them you can smell them. Cockatoos you dont have to be close because they produce dusty feathers that you can smell.

Answer 4

yes I think so. The only bird which hunts by smell is the kiwi but I guess other birds smell as they do have nostrils and I think there are some plants which use scent as an attraction for birds.

Answer 5

Birds have a very poor sense of smell. I think most of their brain is taken up with other things like flight and staying alive.

Answer 6

Birds can smell, but they relie mainly on there eye sight for food. This is why trappers hide animal traps that use food bait, under leaves or somewere where it can't be seen in the open.

Answer 7

Of course they can, take a look at any birds beak and you will see the nostril vents just where it joins the head.

Answer 8

No silly,they were first invented to aid the police in coke sting operations but weren't reliable,you had to clip there wings but it had a side effect,there nose doesn't stop running

Answer 9

Yes, and a buzzard is one tough bird. Don't mess with his tutu.

Answer 10

Big bird In sesame street lol