Tool Use in Parrots

[Saerphe]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bI4bNeXz ... re=related

I've heard of Amazons using their molted feathers (or pencils or other similar objects) to preen with, but I'd never seen it before. Very clever.

Has anyone else witnessed their parrots using tools before? Iggy and Ollie frequently scratch their heads on their perches or the cage bars, but that doesn't really constitute tool use so much as use of the environment.

[Michael]

I've heard of Alex the Grey and many other parrots using their humans as tools! Does that count?

[TheNzJessie]

I've heard of Alex the Grey and many other parrots using their humans as tools! Does that count?

[Chris&Akilah]

Check out this clip of Black Palm Cockatoos in Australia making and using drumsticks to bang on trees;

[zazanomore]

That's it. I'm moving to Australia.

[Saerphe]

Here's an interesting article comparing tool use and problem solving in crows and keas.

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notro ... Science%29

[MandyG]

The intelligence of birds never ceases to amaze me!

[liz]

That's it. I'm moving to Australia.

Many years ago I was in a different bird forum. A woman in Australia said she never feeds the wild birds so she won't encourage them into her yard. She said when a flock of cockatiels set down in her yard they ravaged everything.

Can you even imagine how beautiful a flock of wild cockatiels would be in your front yard?

[CheekyandMalolo]

People who feed the wild cockies are EVIL!! They come and shred the window archetraves and the decking and ravish the fruit trees. We have a flock of about 150 in our valley and dad's considering buying an air rifle to keep them away. They're PESTS!

[liz]

People who feed the wild cockies are EVIL!! They come and shred the window archetraves and the decking and ravish the fruit trees. We have a flock of about 150 in our valley and dad's considering buying an air rifle to keep them away. They're PESTS!

You have a cockatiel. Don't you see the beauty in them?