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the claim

Birds can smell human scent on their eggs.

the verdict
CONTESTED PARTIAL
Recorded sources
2 sources for · 3 against

Counts group repeated records of the same source within each side. They do not measure evidence strength or source independence.

Is it true that birds can smell human scent on their eggs?

Partly. Evidence is mixed and only partial: one study notes birds may react to human odour on egg surfaces, while several popular and reference sources say most birds have a poor sense of smell and cannot detect human scent. None directly tests whether birds smell human scent on their own eggs.

Verdict: CONTESTED PARTIAL · 2 sources for, 3 against · Last checked

Evidence for · 2
Female Zebra Finches Smell Their Eggs
2016
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Golüke, S., Dörrenberg, S., Krause, E. T., & Caspers, B. A. (2016). Female Zebra Finches Smell Their Eggs. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0155513

Evidence against · 3
Why do pigeons kill their chicks when touched by a human?
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Why do pigeons kill their chicks when touched by a human?. (n.d.). biology.stackexchange.com. https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/20054

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More for · 1
Olfaction, volatile compounds and reproduction in birds
2006
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Olfaction, volatile compounds and reproduction in birds. (2006). hal.science. https://hal.science/hal-04453430v1

More against · 2
Will a mother bird abandon her young if touched by a human?
2011
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Will a mother bird abandon her young if touched by a human?. (2011). skeptics.stackexchange.com. https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/3132/will-a-mother-bird-abandon-her-young-if-touched-by-a-human

Why Does Bright Light Make You Sneeze?
2018
Get citation
Thompson, A. (2018). Why Does Bright Light Make You Sneeze?. play.google.com. https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=Ysk6DwAAQBAJ&source=gbs_api

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held for human review17 Oct 2026
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