Morphological and histochemical studies of the nasal cavity and fused olfactory bulb of the Zebra finch, Taeniopygia guttata

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We analyzed the anatomical and histological properties of the nasal cavity and olfactory bulb of the zebra finch to investigate its functional level of the olfaction. In the nasal cavity of the zebra finch, although the anterior and maxillary conchae were clearly observed, there was obscure structure equivalent to the posterior concha. The olfactory epithelium of the zebra finch occupied remarkably small area of the posterior concha and had the histological and ultrastructural features of the olfactory receptor cells like already reported other avian species. The ratio of the OB size to that of the cerebral hemisphere was very small. The left and right OB were completely fused and located on the ventral side of the anterior extremity of the cerebrum. Our results suggested that the zebra finch has a limited sense of olfaction, as same as other passeriforme avians.