An early sensory shift from savory to sweet shaped the sensory biology of songbirds
3 institutional releases
Published in Science · View the paper (DOI)
A new study reveals that songbirds' ability to detect sugars emerged from a single shift in umami receptor perception early in their evolutionary history. This change likely played a critical role in the diversification of this lineage, which now comprises over half of all bird species.
Coverage from 3 institutions
- An early sensory shift from savory to sweet shaped the sensory biology of songbirds American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) · Jul 8, 2021 · first to report
- How sweet it is: Study finds songbirds CAN taste sugar Cornell University · Jul 9, 2021
- Songbirds like it sweet! The University of Hong Kong · Jul 12, 2021