Is it true that birds do not have a sense of smell? If so, can they detect whether or not food put out for them has gone bad, before they consume it? Are they harmed by fermented grain or mould?
I'd be grateful if someone could post an answer here or at my email address! Thank you, from a first-timer.
yes they havea sense of smell, hence why they have nostrels, it s not as acute as ours
but they can certainly smell fire, if you watch wildlife films, as soon as the weaver birds smell fire they are off.
welcomb to forum. best regards mac
Hi-
most birds sense of smell is apparently not that developed
BUT.............. some seabirds have remarkable SOH and can detect food/ dead fish/ chum on the surface miles away.
:)
S
chum--- yukky but useful :)
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seymouraves said:chum--- yukky but useful :)
'Chum' always makes me think of the phrase 'we're gonna need a bigger boat' from the film Jaws
Best wishes Chris
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seymouraves said: Hi- most birds sense of smell is apparently not that developed BUT.............. some seabirds have remarkable SOH and can detect food/ dead fish/ chum on the surface miles away. :) S I would like to know if the usual garden birds, mainly those with moe delicate constitutions than seabirds, would avoid "old" mouldy food that may lodge somewhere in the hanging feeders, to spoil the rest of the supply, or would they feed on it anyway. I am trying to figure out why some feeders are suddenly lacking visitors at times, while others in the garden still attract. Thanks chum--- yukky but useful :)
I would like to know if the usual garden birds, mainly those with moe delicate constitutions than seabirds, would avoid "old" mouldy food that may lodge somewhere in the hanging feeders, to spoil the rest of the supply, or would they feed on it anyway.
I am trying to figure out why some feeders are suddenly lacking visitors at times, while others in the garden still attract.
Thanks
Mac said: yes they havea sense of smell, hence why they have nostrels, it s not as acute as ours but they can certainly smell fire, if you watch wildlife films, as soon as the weaver birds smell fire they are off. welcomb to forum. best regards mac
Hi mac ~ Thanks for your answer. As I've replied to someone else below, I am tryiing to figure out why some of my hanging feeders suddenly lack the usual garden visitors, when other feeders continue to attract. If some of the food is turning mouldy, and possibly spoiling the rest of the supply in the feeder, does that put the birds off, or would they eat it anyway? And if they eat it anyway, is mouldy grain food significantly harmful to them?
Despite routine cleaning of the feeders, the spoilage can sometimes happen quickly, depending on weather, and if I'm away and unable to clean the feeders.... Must be a frequent occurence I suspect. With thanks, Jiminy.
jiminy said: yes they havea sense of smell, hence why they have nostrels, it s not as acute as ours but they can certainly smell fire, if you watch wildlife films, as soon as the weaver birds smell fire they are off. welcomb to forum. best regards mac
it is not right,some birds will eat just about every thing, but most will only eat normal food, hope this helps
hope you are enjoying forum. best regards mac
Hi Welcome to the forums It is best not to give birds mouldy foods. While many moulds are harmless, some can cause respiratory infections in birds. If food turns mouldy or stale on your bird table or feeders you are possibly placing out too much, always remove any stale or mouldy food – it provides a breeding ground for salmonella bacteria, which can cause food poisoning and death. At this time of year, many birds feed on wild food such as autumn fruit and berries. This can be seen as a lack of birds in the garden. Rest assured they will return to feed on high-energy food from feeders and will take shelter in your garden when the weather turns colder. Hope this helps Tom
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Woodpecker said: chum--- yukky but useful :) 'Chum' always makes me think of the phrase 'we're gonna need a bigger boat' from the film Jaws [/quote] Me too Chris. Tee hee Pipit x
Me too Chris.
Tee hee
Pipit x
If they are just soft and bruised, yes you can.
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