Birds know how to avoid 'incest'

A study helps scientists discover the secret to helping seabirds avoid their relatives during the search for mates to mate.

Until recently many scientists still thought that birds differentiated their relatives by sound and appearance.

Dr. Francesco Bonadonna, an expert of the Center for Functional and Evolutionary Ecology in France, and her colleagues wanted to find out what causes birds to recognize their relatives in the process of finding a mate, thereby Inbreeding does not happen, BBC reported.

To find out, the research team monitored the species of the European seaweed (Hydrobates pelagicus) . They used cotton swabs to collect the odors of each bird on Spain's Isla de Benidorm island. Due to the study of seagulls on this island for 18 years, experts know exactly who have a blood relationship. They have never seen two seagulls with kinship together on the island.

The team put a group of adult-related albatrosses into a Y-shaped labyrinth. They placed the scented cotton gauze of one of their families in one branch of the maze and placed a cotton swab. The smell of a strange animal enters the other branch.

The results show that most albatrosses walk towards the smell of strangers, not paying attention to the smell. This shows that they recognize the smell of blood relatives.

Bonadonna said that because of the smell to recognize relatives, many birds always return to their "homeland" to breed. Thus they will avoid the risk of mating with relatives. Seagulls reported that European storms lived in areas where they were born throughout life. So that area is also the shelter of blood relatives of them.

"The seagulls reported that European storms often live with a partner until they die. Therefore, if they pair with a blood relative, the consequences will be very serious , " Bonadonna said.