Do Greys have a sense of smell?

[MKparrot]

Do parrots have a sense of smell?

Certainly the physical evidence shows they don’t have a lot of receptors for scent i.e. they have an underdeveloped sense of smell. Smells dissolve rather quickly in the air. Because parrots/birds spend most of their time in the air, this may be the reason why it is assumed that birds have a poor sense of smell.

There is scientific evidence that some New Zealand parrot species have very keen sense of smell and use it very often (unlike other parrots).

Do Greys use their smell sense (even it is underdeveloped )? Any thoughts? :confused:

[Luvparrots]

All I know is that if I sit down to have a snack, open a bag of pistachios, etc. My parrots are all over me immediate so they have a sense of something.

[danmcq]

They do use smell to some degree. Just how much it is used is really not well documented due to little scientific study done. It varies from species to species as well. Here are a few links about this:

 

http://www.stanford.edu/group/stanfordbirds/text/essays/Avian_Sense.html

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/130903123600.htm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080716111421.htm

http://birding.about.com/od/birdbehavior/a/Bird-Senses.htm

[aerial.2000]

I often wondered that too, if I ruffle a bag of chips, Marco comes running but I think she knows the sound more then the "smell" however I watch her when I feed her dinner and she goes for her favorite things first like blueberries or chicken over the snap peas or carrots ... so its either smell or sight that tells her those things are in there.

[judygram]

I think greys use more sight and sound than they do their sense of smell, I know my grey recognizes cheese packages and the sound of snack bags rustling but if they see us with food then it is an open invitation to come over and get some of it, after all if it is good enough for you to eat then it must be meant for them.

[BaileysPapa]

I have often wondered the same thing. I think they have a limited sense of smell, but, notice that they touch everything with their tongue. What I wonder is, since birds are evolutionally descended from reptiles, does their sense of taste take the place of smell? Like reptiles always flicking their tongues, tasting the air.