Cockatoos have been known to have complex problem solving abilities, but now on top of that they are becoming famous for their tool using skills.
Cockatoos are members of the Psittacidae family, which are native to Australia and other parts of the Indo-Pacific region. Species such as the Goffin’s cockatoos and Palawan cockatoo are known to be especially intelligent and agile.
In a recent study, it was observed that a Goffin’s cockatoo named Figaro was able to identify the best tool needed to complete a task, a skill that was previously only seen in humans and chimps. Figaro was presented with several tools and then challenged with the task of retrieving an object from a cylinder.
Figaro started by selecting the tool that was able to fit the cylinder and then proceeded to use it to solve the problem. This showed an impressive amount of problem-solving ability, something not seen in other animals.
Tools Used by the Cockatoo
In order to complete the task, Figaro had to thoroughly inspect the tools at his disposal and select the right one.
Some of the tools he chose to use included:
- Rake: Figaro used this tool to grip the object he wanted to retrieve. The object was then easily pulled out of the cylinder.
- Stick: Figaro also used a stick to prod the object to help it move around the cylinder. The stick was used as a way to manipulate the object from a distance.
- Tong: Finally, Figaro used a tong to grip the object and remove it from the cylinder.
The Amazing Ability of Tool Use
The ability to use tools and manipulate objects is a skill that has long been thought to be exclusive to humans and chimpanzees, yet the cockatoo Figaro has proven that birds can display similar abilities. This not only proves the intelligence of the feathery creatures, but it also demonstrates just how versatile they can be.
This study provides further evidence of the intelligence of these birds and confirms the fact that they are capable of performing complex tasks. In addition, the results show that the birds are able to select the right tool for the job, something that humans often struggle with.
Overall, the study proves that tool use is not just limited to humans and our closest relatives, but can also be seen in bird species. It is clear that once again cockatoos have shown that they have complex problem solving skills and can use tools to overcome obstacles in their environment.
In recent research, cockatoos were shown to have remarkable problem-solving skills and even their own sophisticated tool-making capabilities. Scientists from the University of Vienna, the German Primate Center, and the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna have looked into this further, believing that certain species of cockatoos can differentiate between the tools they need and those that are irrelevant for a task.
Their experiments conducted on Goffin’s cockatoos involved two different tasks that required different tools. In the first experiment, the cockatoos were given access to a pair of tools, a closed and an open tube. When presented with a food reward that had been placed in the closed tube, all the birds successfully used their beaks to pull it out.
In the second experiment, these same birds were presented with a tool that was one centimeter longer than the length of the hole containing the food. Only the birds that received specific training were able to measure the difference between the tools using their beaks and use the correct tool for the task.
The findings from the study suggest that cockatoos are capable of distinguishing between two tools and can select the one best suited for the job. This level of sophistication demonstrates a clear capacity to adapt to new environments, an ability that is usually associated with primates closer to humans in the primate family tree.
The research is an important step in understanding cognitive processes in animals, as well as machinemaking skills. The scientists believe that this experiment also gives insight into the resourcefulness of birds, showing us that cockatoos, along with other species of birds, can be just as capable of intuitive and creative problem-solving.
With the knowledge that birds can be smarter than they seem, it gives us the opportunity to better understand the complexity of cognition in animals, and how much more there is yet to discover.