After bird seed is put out on feeder what makes the bird come to it? Are they scavaging or do they smell it?

Question

I want to know what physiological factor in birds helps them find your feeder. Is it the scavaging instinct or do they smell the bird seed?

Answer 1

Its most likely a combination of prior experience and eyesight. If they've ever encountered a feeder before, they'll remember it as a source of food, and they can spot shapes and colors very well. Scent is NOT something they use for seeds, since unless the seeds are rancid, they have very little scent and secondly, most birds have an exceedingly poor sense of smell. It does vary from species to species, but the majority have little to none, while vultures have a great sense of smell (to sniff out carrion). Owls have no sense of smell at all, which is why they're one of the few animals that will eat skunks.

Answer 2

First of all, birds have incredible eyesight and many can even see into the UV spectrum, well beyond the visible light we see. There;s no telling exactly what it is they see when they look at something.

Secondly, birds have very little sense of smell. The whole myth of a mother bird smelling human scent on a baby and abandoning it is false. Therefore, smell would be the last thing they would rely on to detect food.

They also have good memories. If they've been to your feeder once, they know it is a place they can eat from. They'll periodically check and see if there's anything there again in the future.

Answer 3

they see the seed or see other birds gathering so go there and find the seed. Birds have a poor sense of smell, so NO they do not find food by smell. (unless you were a vulture, which don't eat seeds)

Answer 4

They tend to have great eye sight and the survival instinct will motivate the bird to forage for food like they do in the wild. Have a great year and try to convert slowly to a pelleted diet to avoid malnutrition.

Answer 5

Birds have incredible eye sight. They can see long distances and identify the seeds. Their sense of smell is not as acute as their eye site.

Answer 6

birds eyes are very sharp 10x more better than ours but sadly birds cannot smeel ver weel they couldn't even smell if it was right in front of them if you put seed in a bird feeder one bird sees it go and gathers its flock and they come anf eat.

Answer 7

i bird just finds it and then calls all the birds and soon a lot of birds will be eating from the feeder.

Answer 8

If you scatter some on the ground under the feeder they will see it and be attracted to the feeder, so scavenging is your answer.

Answer 9

it's usually both. They are searching for food, then when they smell it, they come down and eat it.

Answer 10

der jus scavin