Parrots Learn New Foods by Watching Their Friends

In city parks and gardens, a group of wild cockatoos discovered that trying new snacks can be safer when they see other birds doing it first. Scientists set up experiments in five different roosting spots across Sydney, where they offered colored almonds that the parrots had never tasted before. At two sites, a few birds were trained to eat blue or red almonds; after these “demo” parrots ate the treats, other members in the same community started trying them within minutes. In a third area with no trained birds, it took several days for the first newcomer to take a bite. Once she did, dozens of other parrots followed quickly. Over the course of 20 days, more than three hundred cockatoos across all sites were eating the colored nuts, showing that the birds rely heavily on social cues to decide what is safe.

The study also found that young parrots are especially eager to copy the majority, while adult males tend to influence other males more than females. Female birds were less selective about whom they copied, and both sexes showed interest in what their companions chose rather than just following the crowd. Researchers suggest that this flexibility helps young birds learn about new food sources quickly, a strategy similar to how kids might choose a restaurant by watching friends. The findings hint that social learning may become less dominant as parrots age, but remain a key tool for adapting to the ever‑changing urban environment.

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