Golfing cockatoos reveal ability to use combined tools

Date:
February 8, 2022
Source:
University of Birmingham
Summary:
Cockatoos have shown an extraordinary ability to complete a task by
combining simple tools, demonstrating that this cognitive ability
is not found only in primates.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Cockatoos have shown an extraordinary ability to complete a task by
combining simple tools, demonstrating that this cognitive ability is
not found only in primates.


========================================================================== According to researchers at the University of Veterinary Medicine, in
Vienna, the University of Birmingham, and the University of Vienna, the findings could shed new light on how our ancestors evolved the ability
to design and use tools.

The research, published in Scientific Reports,is also part of a wider international and interdisciplinary project comparing children's
innovation and problem solving skills with those of cockatoos.

Tool use is rare in animals, and particularly compound tools where two
elements are fixed together, such as a spear, or an axe, or composite
tools, where two items -- for example a stick and a rock -- are used
together. These types of tools have evolved into recreational activities,
such as hockey, cricket or golf, and it was this that inspired the
study design.

In their experiment, the team devised a game of golf for one species
of bird, the Goffin's cockatoo, which is known for its problem solving
skills and its ability to use single tools such as sticks to open up
nut and seed shells.

The birds had to manipulate a ball through a hole into a closed box, and
then use a stick to push the ball to one side of the box where it triggers
a trapdoor mechanism. This in turn releases a cashew nut for the bird.

Three of the cockatoos figured out how to use the stick to manoeuvre
the ball into the right position to release the treat -- showing a high
level of tool innovation.

Lead researcher Dr Antonio Osuna-Mascaro', from the University of
Veterinary Medicine, in Vienna, said: "One of the most amazing aspect
of the process was to observe how these animals each invented their
own individual technique in how to grip the stick and hit the ball,
sometimes with astonishing dexterity.

One of the birds operated the stick while holding it between the
mandibles, one between the beak tip and tongue and one with his claw,
similar to a primate." Sarah Beck, Professor of Cognitive Development in
the School of Psychology at the University of Birmingham, is a co-author
and collaborator on this work, focusing on the associations between
children and birds in learning how to use tools.

She said: "Although children are very good at using tools and technology
in their lives (think spoons and ipads!), our research has shown that
young children often find it hard to invent novel solutions to problems involving tool use. In fact, children under 8 can really struggle to
solve problems that cockatoos can master.

"So while this study is the first to show that cockatoos can coordinate
tools to solve a problem, it also feeds into our ongoing work with
children. Tempting as it might be -- it's not simply a question of
who is the cleverest: children or cockatoos -- instead comparing such
different species helps us understand how humans and some other species
develop impressive technological skills." Professor Alice Auersperg,
another author and head of the Goffin Lab at the Messerli Research
Institute in Vienna's University of Veterinary Medicine, comments:
"I believe that studying which spatial relationships animals are
attending to and how they are using them for enabling tool innovations
will be key to getting us better insight into the evolution of
technology. Enhancing our understanding of the onset of complex
tool use in particular is thus currently a focus of our research team" ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Birmingham. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Related Multimedia:
* Cockatoo_using_a_tool ========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Antonio J. Osuna-Mascaro', Roger Mundry, Sabine Tebbich, Sarah
R. Beck,
Alice M. I. Auersperg. Innovative composite tool use by Goffin's
cockatoos (Cacatua goffiniana). Scientific Reports, 2022; 12 (1)
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05529-9 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/02/220208105232.htm
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