In honor of our new exhibition, #OurSenses: An Immersive Experience, we're celebrating the #12DaysofSenses this December. Stay tuned for a fun fact each day that's tied to the classic English carol. First up?
Partridges: Grey partridges (Perdix perdix), also known as English partridges, mate for life–and, according to a 2017 study, pick genetically dissimilar partners. How do they know? One theory points to smell in "odor-based individual recognition." 
On the second day of #12DaysOfSenses, let's talk about turtles. Sea turtles hatch from eggs on the beach and emerge at night to crawl to the ocean. How do they know which way to go? One theory suggests these reptiles are guided by moonlight reflecting off the sea.
On the third day of #12DaysofSenses, we've got French hens. Chickens can see more colors than humans: we have three cones that detect red, blue, and green variations—but chickens can also see some violet and ultraviolet wavelengths!
On the 4th day of #12DaysOfSenses, calling birds are up—so meet one of the loudest birds on Earth, the three-wattled bellbird (Procnias tricarunculatus). Males have a bell-like call that can be heard from more than a half mile away. The calls differ from population to population.
"Five—golden—tortoise—beetles!" On the fifth day of #12DaysOfSenses we're swapping out rings for bugs. The golden tortoise beetle is native to the Americas and belongs to the leaf beetle family. But not everything is always golden for this insect…
It changes coloring based on several factors, including the season or if it senses a threat. By switching the flow of fluid beneath its transparent outer shell, the beetle can turn into a less distinctive brownish-orange. (Video: ronnie1211)
If six geese are a-laying, do not approach these territorial birds! You might have to deal with their serrated beaks—and tongues. Welcome back to the #12DaysOfSenses, where we talk about a new creature each day that's related to the classic carol.
Geese use their tongues for more than just taste: the serrated edges of their beak + tongue help them easily snap vegetation. And while it looks like some geese have small teeth, they don’t have the ability to create enamel—those grooves are called tomia. (Photo: David Dixon)
On the seventh day of #12DaysOfSenses, let's talk about swans a-swimming. Feathers help parts of this bird stay warm—but how do swan's legs not freeze as they swim around icy ponds?
These birds are more efficient at heating their lower limbs, thanks to veins and arteries in their legs that make up a countercurrent heat exchange system. In this network, warm blood flows past—and heats—colder blood circulating back from the feet to the rest of the body.
Mammals produce milk, so for the eighth day of the #12DaysOfSenses, let's discuss the pregnant black bear (Ursus americanus) instead of maids a-milking. These omnivores will enter their dens and hibernate for the winter—but sleep won't stop them from giving birth!
The heart rate of a female bear increases as the pregnancy progresses, suggesting alertness, and then dips to hibernation levels post-birth. One study also observed that mother bears show less signs of movement after birth, which "prevents accidental damage to suckling cubs."
It's the ninth day of #12DaysOfSenses, our December series celebrating new exhibition, "Our Senses." Next up? Nine ladies dancing—so let's talk about leks, a mating ritual with a seeing, hearing, and strutting component. We're going to focus on the male Greater Sage-Grouse…
First, the male birds gather in an open area and inflate/deflate their air sacs, catching the female’s attention. The dance-off may continue for several days. Typically, a few dominant grouse located in the center of the lek receive almost all the female attention.
On the 10th day of #12DaysOfSenses, we're talking balance with lords a-leaping—who better to highlight than the mountain goat? No mammal is more sure-footed hopping up steep peaks. Its agility & traction surpasses even that of sheep. Goats can gain 75 ft of altitude in 1 minute!
Who's this sea critter? On the eleventh day of #12DaysOfSenses, we're talking about pipers piping. The Solenostomus paradoxus, or ornate ghost pipefish, isn't musically inclined—or a strong swimmer.
It's an ambush predator, sucking mysid crustaceans into its tube-like mouth. Fun fact: most fish have the ability to produce taste buds on more places than just their tongues, like their lips and bodies! (Photo 2: Elias Levy)
It's the last day of our #12DaysOfSenses! Palm Cockatoos know a thing or two about drummers drumming—the male birds of this Australian species use objects like sticks to drum on branches in order to attract a mate. Other than humans, they're the only animals to use tools to drum!
