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Clever cockatoo caught using tools

By dr. dolittle on November 10, 2012.

Check out this picture of a captive cockatoo (Cacatua goffiniana) in the Department of Cognitive Biology at the University of Vienna using a tool:

Image from: Scientific American

Figaro (shown above) was observed by a student using a piece of bamboo to try to retrieve a dropped pebble. This was the first documented evidence of a Goffin's cockatoo attempting to use a tool so the researchers decided to try a little experiment. They placed a cashew just outside of Figaro's cage and observed as Figaro attempted to retrieve it using a stick he found on the floor of the aviary. When that was unsuccessful, he broke a splinter off of a wooden beam and was able to successfully retrieve the nut. The researchers were impressed by not only his ability to use tools, but also to make them.

Tags
avian
Brain and Behavior
Life Science
bird
cockatoo
tools
avian

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If only they were as good at making tools to open cages...

you should do a artical on lion fish

I've had many a parrot find clever ways to open their cages. One used to move the water dish out of the way to squeeze thru the opening and then push it back. It took me weeks to find out how he kept escaping... the funny thing is they were only in it for their own safety for a few hours at night when I slept.. otherwise they had a few trees and tons of places to hang out during the day.

If history tells us anything it's that any form of Human centric thinking is probably wrong. You are showing me a bird using a tool for obtaining food. I am going to show you a bird that is learning how to snowboard without human intervention.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JB4DnnXV1jM

By Dimitrios (not verified) on 18 Jan 2014 #permalink

The human intervention in the case with the cockatoo is no more intervention than the human intervention in the case of the bird snowboarding. The bird that was snowboarding was doing so on a roof that was built by humans and the 'snowboard' he is using is also something made by humans. The birds are being forced to adapt to a new environment very different from what is natural. Will these birds become more intelligent over time if they were to be domesticated further?

By Stephanie (not verified) on 28 Feb 2015 #permalink

these birds are extremely creative..they must have a super brain i mean for them to event think of such techniques. and here we are thinking that the human specie is the most creative specie

By tebogo(14169101) (not verified) on 30 Mar 2015 #permalink