Wild Cockatoos Found Using Cutlery to Eat Seeds

Wild cockatoos have recently been observed using three different types of cutlery to extract seeds from fruits. Researchers made this discovery while observing them in Indonesia. They saw two wild cockatoos crafting tools out of tree branches to better extract seeds from sea mangoes.

Source: Guardian News/YouTube

Dr. Mark O’Hara, who co-led the study, said, “We were blown away that all of a sudden one of them just started using tools on sea mangoes. It turned out that within the flock of 15 birds, only two individuals did that.”

After observing the cockatoos using these tools repeatedly, the researchers were able to obtain some of the tools and classify them into three types. Thick twigs were used to break open the firm fruit, while finer branches were used to pierce the layer of fruit surrounding the seeds. A medium-sized piece of branch that was often thick and blunt was used to scoop the seeds out.

These tools were often made by severing branches from trees and carefully crafting them with their beaks. On average, each cockatoo used eight small tools to get the seeds out of the fruit. Because only a few wild cockatoos were observed using tools, it is believed that this is not a species-wide behavior that comes from genetics.

Berenika Mioduszewska of the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, said, “Only very few individuals were using those tools. That is an indication that it likely developed individually as an innovation.”

This is an amazing discovery and adds just one more animal to the list of species that can use and make tools.

Related Content:

• Why You Should Not Buy a Pet Bird
• 4 Inspiring Organizations Working to Rescue Exotic Birds
• 7 Things to Keep in Mind if You Find a Lost or Injured Baby Bird
• How the Trend for Exotic Pets in the U.S. is Harming Wild Animal Populations Across the Globe

For more Animal, Earth, Life, Vegan Food, Health, and Recipe content published daily, subscribe to the One Green Planet Newsletter! Also, don’t forget to download the Food Monster App on the App Store. With over 15,000 delicious recipes, it is the largest meatless, vegan, and allergy-friendly recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! Lastly, being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!