Current Events > Cockatoos have learned to use public drinking fountains in Australia

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Tt-yLnZ34s

First, these parrots learned to open trash cans to forage for food. Now, theyve taken it a step further and have figured out how to turn on water fountains for a sip along with their meal.

These are Australias iconic sulphur-crested cockatoos white birds with a yellow tuft on their heads, known for their loud, grating screech. But theyre also incredibly intelligent, with large brains and nimble feet that have allowed them to pick up new habits in urban environments.

The cockatoos in western Sydney, in particular, caught scientists attention with their latest trick of drinking from public fountains. After researchers first noticed this phenomenon in 2018, they tagged 24 birds and set up cameras near fountains in the area then sat back and watched.

Throughout two months in the fall of 2019, they recorded most of the tagged birds attempting to drink from the fountains. Also known as bubblers, these fountains are operated by a twist handle easy enough for a person to operate, but complex for an animal to figure out.

Yet, the cockatoos did. They used different techniques: some would stand with both feet on the handle, while others would put one foot on the handle and one foot on the rubber spout. Then, theyd lower their body weight to turn the handle clockwise holding the handle in place while twisting their head to take a drink.

They werent always successful it worked about half the time, and five of the 10 drinking fountains in the area had chew marks indicating cockatoos had been there before. But the success rate also meant that the cockatoos had likely been doing this for some time, said the researchers in their study, published Wednesday in the journal Biology Letters.

The team had studied Sydneys sulphur-crested cockatoos before; in 2021, they published another paper examining the birds newly observed ability to lift closed trash bin lids with their beaks and feet to access the food inside.

These innovative behaviors arent just animals being amusing or clever they show the birds ability to adapt to urban environments, and the power of social learning among animals, the researchers said.

We know parrots like cockatoos are amongst the smartest birds out there, and the fact theyre so social so they have the opportunity to learn from one another if a new behavior does pop up, if one genius bird does invent something, said one of the studys co-authors, Lucy M. Aplin, an associate professor at the Australian National University, in an interview with CNN affiliate ABC Radio.

There are some questions still unanswered. The researchers dont know why exactly the cockatoos are flocking to drinking fountains, instead of other easily accessible natural water sources in the area. At first they thought the fountains might be a backup option on especially hot days when local creeks run dry but that wasnt the case.

Other theories are that the birds feel safer drinking from fountains in public areas where there are fewer predators, or that they simply prefer the taste of fountain water but that would need further study to determine.

Now, the researchers want to know what else cockatoos can do and any habits they may have already developed that just havent been studied yet.

Weve had some really interesting innovations reported to us, and some examples include unzipping school backpacks and stealing school lunches, Aplin told ABC Radio. It has become such a problem in some areas that they have to bring the school bags into the classroom rather than leaving them outside!

https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/05/australia/australia-cockatoos-study-water-fountains-intl-hnk

I like how they wait in line to use it.

They can open trash cans

https://www.livescience.com/wild-cockatoos-open-garbage-cans.html

im gonna teach one how to wreck house in fighting games on stick

KFHEWUI posted...

They can open trash cans

https://www.livescience.com/wild-cockatoos-open-garbage-cans.html

Giving crows a run for their money soon?

its fascinating how various animals ARE evolving to live with modern man

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/f/f0942010.jpg

Clever girl!

KFHEWUI posted...

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/f/f0942010.jpg

Clever girl!

woah