Passerine birds that reuse nest sites face an increased parasite and pathogen load. They
also are more likely to use fresh green vegetation during nest construction. The present
results demonstrate that at least one passerine, the European Starling:(a) selects a small …

Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry revealed the presence of both carbon disulfide (CS
2) and carbonyl sulfide (COS) on rat breath. Behavioral experiments indicated that rats
exposed to an unfamiliar diet moistened with CS 2, like rats exposed to an unfamilar diet …

Predator odors often repel prey species. In the present experiments, we investigated
whether changes in the diet of a predator, the coyote (Canis latrans) would affect the
repellency of its urine. Furthermore, because predator odors have a high sulfur content …

Summary The European starling Sturnus vulgaris preferentially incorporates fresh sprigs of
particular plant species for use as nesting material. Chemicals found in these plants may act
to reduce pathogen and ectoparasite populations normally found in nest environments. The …

We investigated the physicochemical and sensory bases of anthranilate repellency to
European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). Physicochemical parameters that control volatility
were positively correlated with avoidance. Nasal trigeminal chemoreception and olfaction …

In the presence of food-deprived and therefore rapidly feeding Red-winged Blackbirds
(Agelaius phoeniceus), pairs of nondeprived conspecifics increased their own food
consumption and spillage. The effect of social facilitation appeared amplified when both …

Recent work has demonstrated that Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) display
food preferences as a result of observational learning. Also, individual birds learn to avoid
food the ingestion of which has been paired with sickness. Such preferences or aversions …

Birds that reuse old nest sites are likely to incur high parasite and pathogen loads. These
same species also have a greater likelihood of including fresh, nonstructural vegetation into
their nests during construction than species that nest at sites only once. One explanation for …

Consumption of food by Aplodontia rufa from bowls scented with control odors, secretion
from anal glands of minks (Mustela vison) or urine from minks, bobcats (Felis rufus) and
coyotes (Canis latrans) was studied. In two-choice control tests, subjects indiscriminately …

Experiment 1 showed that capsaicin injections severely reduced or eliminated nasal
trigeminal responses to 3 odorants. Experiments 2 and 3 investigated whether desensitized
animals could behaviorally detect and discriminate odors. Capsaicin treated animals had no …