Goffin Cockatoos are known for their intelligence, sociability, and playful personality. They are also incredibly resourceful creatures. Recently, an experiment conducted by the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, Austria, suggested they have many more abilities than previously thought.
The study about the birds shows that they can use tools to complete individual tasks. They are capable of using different tools that are needed to retrieve rewards. This behavior of the Goffin Cockatoos, where they can use the tools, is observed only in a few animal species, such as primates, dolphins, and crows.
The Goffin Cockatoos were given a box containing a cashew nut in the study. The box was designed in such a way that the nut was not immediately accessible. The birds were then given a variety of tools to use.
The scientists wanted to check how these birds would use these tools to get to the nut. The researchers were amazed at the skill with which the Goffin Cockatoos used the tools. They would pick up a stick and use it to poke holes in the membrane where the nut is kept.
The clever birds would then extract the nut from the box. These Goffin Cockatoos could even modify their tools by biting off the end of the Larchwood, Beech twigs, or cardboard to make practical tools to get to the cashew.
The Goffin Cockatoos would break the cardboard or the twigs and make a stick out of it. Scientists even revealed that different cockatoos from the same lab shared different skill sets in their experiments.
What is truly impressive is that the birds could use a set of tools rather than just one tool. This suggests that the Goffin Cockatoos uniquely understand cause and effect. Furthermore, they can plan and use the tools in a coordinated way to achieve their goals.
If you liked this, share it with a friend.
