You might not be able to teach an old dog new tricks, but apparently Australia’s sulphur-crested cockatoos are never too old to teach themselves. New research showcases that the Australian-based birds have not only taught themselves to open garbage bins, but they’ve also learned how to drink from water fountains.
This is quite an intriguing development. In the past, we’ve seen some peculiar behavior from animals. In fact, some animals seem to even be able to tell when humans don’t know something they know. We also know that crows are smart enough to do geometry. So, it probably shouldn’t be that surprising that some birds can teach themselves how to do unexpected things, too.
According to the researcher’s findings, which are published in Biology Letters, the sulphur-crested cockatoos have recently taught themselves how to activate public water fountains. This allows them to drink from the fountains when there might not otherwise be suitable water sources around.
Further, the researchers found that the trick seems to have spread throughout much of the population through Sydney, Australia. That means they aren’t just learning it themselves, they’re also showing others how to do it. We’ve seen similar species-wide teaching of this type in orcas, when the whales started coordinating attacks on fishing boats around the world in 2023.
One particularly interesting thing about this recent cockatoo development, though, is that the birds don’t seem to always be successful at activating the water fountains. After checking one area, researchers told CNN that they found chew marks on many fountains, and that other, more easily accessible water options were nearby.
So, it’s unclear exactly why the birds are turning to the fountains themselves. They could just prefer fountain water, or it could be safer. More research into the situation will need to be completed to be sure.
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