Truffle-Hunting Birds

0:00This is bird note. With their excellent sense of smell, pigs are renowned for sniffing out truffles, a fungus that grows underground and is prized for its taste. But it turns out that some bird species can also find their way to a truffle treat. Researchers working in the Patagonia region of Chile had noticed truffles with little, big-sized bite marks, and even watched a bird eat a truffle. The researchers examined the droppings of two common birds, the Chicau, the Papaculo, and the black-throated wet-wet. They found truffle DNA in many of the samples, suggesting that truffles are a staple of the bird's diet. The findings suggest that birds, not just mammals, often eat truffles. Some of the fungi species eaten by the Patagonian birds look like berries that grow locally, which might help birds see them better.

1:00After all, the truffles benefit from birds eating them. The birds spread the fungal spores and their droppings, helping the fungi reach new areas. Birds haven't yet won a reputation as prized truffle hunters. But maybe someday! For bird note, I'm Ariana Remmel. Bird note is grateful to all listeners who provide financial support for this show. You can join them at birdnote.org. If you love nature's stories like we cover here on Bird Note, you'll want to add back from the brink, from mutual of Omaha's wild kingdom, to your rotation. Hosted by Dr. Ray Wynne Grant and Peter Gross, they share stories about species that merely disappeared and the people working to bring them back. A recent episode, How Coffee is Bringing Songbirds Back, explores the journeys of migratory

2:05songbirds, the threats they face, and the extraordinary comeback story of the Curtlyn's Warbler. You'll also learn how shade-grown coffee farms can provide critical habitat for migratory songbirds. Follow back from the brink, from mutual of Omaha's wild kingdom, wherever you get your podcast.