Abstract
This study reports that Corsican blue tit (Parus caeruleus ogliastrae) nests contain between one to five aromatic herb species between the onset of egg laying till the chicks’ finished growth 13 d after hatching. An herb removal experiment during the chick stage shows that blue tits bring fresh aromatic material 1–5 d after herb removal. Nests with a series of distinct odour classes easily perceived by humans have never been reported in birds. A new ‘Potpourri’ hypothesis is proposed that may explain the functional significance of this behaviour.