Australian Cockatoos Figure Out How To Use Drinking Fountains

[Tas_mania]

I like these 'evolution in action' stories especially from Australia.  

   

Story and video here:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/...-fountains

[Ofnuts]

• Cockatoos notice a place where water sprouts near convenient perch
  
• It so happens that when something as heavy as a cockatoo is perched on the bar, water sprouts.
  

We aren't that much into "mastering series of complex moves" territory, are we?

[denzjos]

Hopefully they don't learn to turn on the tap below either

[Tas_mania]

Quote:We aren't that much into "mastering series of complex moves" territory, are we?

We have black ones the same size and also white introduced ones often in big flocks. They can live to the same age as humans (80 - 100). The native black cockatoos have a 'watchman' that guards the rest of them often feeding on somebody's fruit trees. We had to adapt to the cockatoos harvesting apples not ripe but before they eat them all.

Quote:Hopefully they don't learn to turn on the tap below either

They adapt to the urban environment. Here they are close to their original environment and we use old baths that always have water in them for them to take a swim. They like feeding in big pine trees that were introduced here. If these birds ever got established in Europe they could thrive. They like grapes and all fruit.