![]() ![]() ![]() This task tested the birds’ ability to use the tool set in different ways. ![]() Can cockatoos fits their tools to the situation?įive cockatoos who passed the first task then moved on to the second experiment. “I was suspecting Figaro to struggle a little, so I was super surprised to see him solving the experiment in 31 seconds.” The highest socially ranked female in the group, Fini, was a close second. “Figaro is probably the most famous cockatoo in the world because he was the one who showed us in past research that cockatoos are able to make, modify, and use their own tools,” explains Osuna-Mascaró. Certain members caught on quicker than others. Out of the group of 10, six cockatoos successfully got the nutty prize in three back-to-back sessions. A successful session was defined by the bird being able to reach the cashews in three consecutive days. If they failed, they could try again the next day. The cockatoos had 10 minutes to figure out the solution. The study authors note this is the first time the individual birds had a tool with a function to puncture objects, so they would need time to explore the implement and then figure out how to use it. They were given one sharp and pointy stick that would need to be used first to tear open a transparent paper membrane hiding a cashew, and then one long and flexible object that with a wagging motion could reach the nut behind the ruptured barrier. The first experiment tested 10 captive cockatoos on their ability to innovate their tool set. To see if Goffin’s cockatoos could also be flexible in their tool use, the study authors created three scenarios similar to how chimpanzees wield multiple strategies for termite fishing.Ĭredit: Osuna-Mascaró et al. Sometimes they may only bring the probe to fish for termites because the mound already had punctured holes. The primates have also adapted their hardware to their situation. Osuna-Mascaró explains that chimpanzees use two different tools to go termite fishing: a thick and short one to open a hole in the termite mound and then a flexible one to collect the insects. Chimpanzees, humanity’s closest living relative, go one step further. Elephants, sea otters, and gorillas use tools for several purposes such as to get food or create shelter. While Goffin’s cockatoos use clubs, picks, and other DIY instruments, they are not the first animals to do this. More recently, animal biologists have discovered that these birds can learn to create complex and multipurpose tool sets. For example, Goffin’s cockatoos know whether an object is heavy or light just by looking at it. Captive and wild individuals show similar problem-solving behaviors and can assess a situation through different means. These small white parrots are capable of delayed gratification, resisting the temptation of snacking if they know they’ll get a better reward for waiting. Goffin’s cockatoos have caught the eye of animal biologists for some time. “They can learn how to use tools by themselves, innovate the tool sets, and transport what they need from them.” The findings cement Goffin’s cockatoos as one of the smartest creatures on Earth. “They are super flexible,” says Antonio Osuna-Mascaró, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna in Austria and lead author of the research study. A new study published today in the journal Current Biology found that Goffin’s cockatoos, a bird native to Indonesia, carry multiple tools and customize their kits to whatever complex problem they are facing. ![]()
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