Do birds, [most common back yard types], have s sense of smell?

Question

Do birds, [most common back yard types], have s sense of smell?

Answer 1

NO, most birds have a poor sense of smell. Eyes and ears benefit an animal that moves swiftly through the air much more than smell when looking for seeds and insects that have little scent. Vultures looking for carrion can smell. EDIT Humming Birds are attracted to the bright colors of flowers not to the scent. You can attract Humming Birds to red or yellow PLASTIC flowers with NO scent.

Answer 2

Yes. Practically every animal with lungs has some type of air scenting senses.

Its hard to notice on the smaller, back-yard birds, but if you look at a picture of an eagle or other large bird you will see nostrils on the beak. These are used to smell.

For a lot of birds, the sense of smell isn't a very important sense. Most predator birds hunt largely from sight. Birds like humming birds do use scent to locate the flowers they drink from just like bugs do.

Answer 3

Most birds have a weak sense of smell.  They have excellent color vision, though, and good hearing.

Scavengers like the vulture have a good sense of smell; it helps them to locate rotting carcases to feed upon.

Owls and other nocturnal birds have poor color vision, if any, but very good night vision and excellent hearing, which helps them locate prey.  I understand that a blind barn owl can hear and catch a mouse running across the ground 50 feet away.  Pretty good, huh?  And of course barn owls are not usually blind.

Answer 4

Yes

The kiwi, although not a back yard bird, has a very good sense of smell

EDIT: Critterman, yes most garden birds have a poor sense of smell, but that still means they have a sense of smell. Also, the kiwi has a better sense of smell than the vulture.

Answer 5

yes.. it's not very strong though