Waterfowl - how do they know??

[Andy Burton's Bush Tours <>]

> I have been
> asked how birds such as Australian Pelicans know when inland lakes
> such as Lake Eyre are full when it often has not rained within many
> hundreds of Kms of the area.  They take advantage of these
> conditions to breed and come from near and far.  I have
> consulted HANZAB and other texts to no
> avail. 
>  
> Any clues
> anyone?   Or as with many things avian do we just don't
> know?
>  
> Cheers
>  
> Roy
> Sonnenburg

I often ponder the same question as well.

Of the senses familiar to us humans I tend to rule out ones such as sight and touch.

What about smell. It is recorded that some insects have an amazing sense of smell. Do Birds?

Andy

--
Andy Burton's Bush Tours

21 Karabil Cr
Baulkham Hills
NSW 2153
Australia

Phone: 61 2 9686 4610

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