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Science 29 October 2004:
Vol. 306. no. 5697, p. 835
DOI: 10.1126/science.1103001
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Partner-Specific Odor Recognition in an Antarctic Seabird

Francesco Bonadonna1* and Gabrielle A. Nevitt2

Among birds, the Procellariiform seabirds (petrels, albatrosses, and shearwaters) are prime candidates for using chemical cues for individual recognition. These birds have an excellent olfactory sense, and a variety of species nest in burrows that they can recognize by smell. However, the nature of the olfactory signature--the scent that makes one burrow smell more like home than another--has not been established for any species. Here, we explore the use of intraspecific chemical cues in burrow recognition and present evidence for partner-specific odor recognition in a bird.

1 Behavioural Ecology Group, CNRS–Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, 1919 route de Mende, F-34293 Montpellier, Cedex 5, France.
2 Section of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: bonadonna{at}cefe.cnrs.fr

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