AVIS-IBIS

Birds of Indian Subcontinent

Scent of a Nest: Discrimination of Own-Nest Odours in Antarctic Prions, Pachyptila desolata

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:2003
Authors:Bonadonna, F, Hesters, F, Jouventin, P
Journal:Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology
Volume:54
Issue:2
Date Published:2003
ISBN Number:03405443
Keywords:Catharacta, Catharacta skua, Pachyptila, Pachyptila desolata, Procellariidae, Stercorariidae, Stercorarius, Stercorarius skua
Abstract:Petrels and albatrosses evolved well-developed olfactory anatomical structures comparable to those of mammals. To date it has been demonstrated that petrels are attracted by food-related odours, and that some hypogean species have decreased homing performances if anosmic. The ability to distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar odours had not been demonstrated. Here we show that the Antarctic prion, Pachyptila desolata, is able to distinguish between its own nest and that of a conspecific, relying on olfactory cues only. When tested in a maze, only prions with an intact sense of smell made a choice and recognized their own burrow whereas anosmic birds did not. In the absence of leading odours in the maze prions behaved similarly to anosmic birds. These results suggest the mechanism used in the shortrange homing process of this species as an olfactory beaconing and suggest the skill of recognising individually distinctive odours. Evolving an efficient identification system in the dark allowed these hypogean petrels to return to their colony at night and recognise their own burrow without singing. This behaviour protects them from predation by skuas, Catharacta skua lönnbergi, that hunt petrels by vision and hearing.
URL:http://www.jstor.org/stable/25063250
Short Title:Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology
Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith