Most mammals have a sweet tooth. At the same time, many birds have lost the receptor that allows them to distinguish sweets over time. However, recent scientific papers suggest that hummingbirds and songbirds are able to regain this ability by special rewiring of the taste bud.
But what about the woodpecker? A team of scientists decided to find out if he had such a talent. Mostly woodpeckers eat insects, but some species of these birds feed on fruits, sweet juices and nectar.
Based on the results of behavioral tests, it turned out that woodpeckers, unlike skinny (representatives of the woodpecker group), choose the last two among water, sugar and amino acids. Relatives, on the other hand, preferred amino acids over sugar.
After a functional analysis of the birds’ taste buds, it turned out that the woodpecker’s receptors are indeed sensitive to sugars. At the same time, the common ancestor of the woodpecker and the lark had a taste bud that could respond to sweets.
Source: Ferra
