The Secret Perfume of Birds gives readers the fundamental knowledge of how birds use their sense of smell, while revealing both fascinating research and the little-told history of the “birds can't smell” fallacy, which has dominated both scientific and popular thinking since the time of Audubon. The overlooked notion that every bird studied has a functional sense of smell opens up an entirely new modality with which to interpret avian behavior. Dr. Danielle Whittaker introduces us to many biological principles fundamental to mastering an understanding of how scents feature in the lives of birds, inviting us to compare commonalities with other animals, including humans.
This is the first book of its kind to use birds as the focal point to describe the complex world of odors and social behavior. Dr. Whittaker's broad expertise and in-depth understanding of birds, mammals, and physiology takes us on important forays into a complex world...
