I had a grey shrike thrush (songbird) that would sit on my hand and eat, sometimes I fed it sunflower kernels. I also put out seeds for parrots and noticed the grey thrush would rise up and then stab sunflower seeds to break open the shell. One day it got its beak impaled in the seed. Luckily it came free by rubbing on ground. I wondered how it knew the sunflower seeds had the same kernels in them - could it smell kernel through shell?
Lima
It probably just recognised the whole sunflower seed as a seed, without knowing it was the same as the kernels you gave it. Most birds don't have a sense of smell at all.
The reaction to the stuck seed, rubbing it off on the ground (or a branch) is normal, it is very common to see birds cleaning their beaks like this.
Michael
[QUOTE=Michael Frankis]It probably just recognised the whole sunflower seed as a seed, without knowing it was the same as the kernels you gave it. Most birds don't have a sense of smell at all.
Michael[/QUOTE]
Hi Michael,
Perhaps, but I had been putting the parrot mix out for a while and had never seen it eat them prior to me giving it the kernels. After hand feeding the kernels to it, I'd regularly see it stabbing the seeds - so it makes you wonder.
Lorna