Cockatoo-step: researchers identify the dance moves of iconic Aussie bird
But beyond the moves, including headbanging, sidesteps and body rolls, the Charles Sturt University researchers found some captive birds performed their own individual dance moves, often by combining several moves in unique ways.
Parrots have been observed dancing to music in captivity anecdotally, but in analysing social media videos of cockatoos dancing, researchers identified 17 new moves.
The researchers found that the top 10 most common dance moves differed between species; even those closely related did not display similar dances.
The study then focused on cockatoos housed at Wagga Wagga Zoo, where they were played music, a podcast and no audio, and regardless of whether music was being played or not, all the birds performed dance moves.
Researcher Natasha Lubke said her analysis was "far more complex and varied than previously thought" and an excellent model to study parrot emotions.
"The work suggests that playing music to parrots may provide a useful approach to enrich their lives in captivity, with positive effects on their welfare," Ms Lubke said.
Only humans and parrots have been reported to spontaneously dance in time to music, with dancing being a result of complex brain processes.
The paper said many of the cockatoos' dance moves were similar to courtship displays of wild parrots, which suggests that their dancing abilities may have originated from this behaviour and been redirected towards their owners.
Professor Rafael Freire said similarities with human dancing made it "hard to argue against well-developed cognitive and emotional processes in parrots".
He said playing music to parrots may improve their welfare.
"Further research would be beneficial to determine if music can trigger dance in captive birds and serve as a form of environmental enrichment."
Do the birds actually enjoy dancing? More research is required to find that out too.
The iconic cockatoo could put most Aussies to shame on the dancefloor with a new study finding they have at least 30 moves in their repertoire.
But beyond the moves, including headbanging, sidesteps and body rolls, the Charles Sturt University researchers found some captive birds performed their own individual dance moves, often by combining several moves in unique ways.
Parrots have been observed dancing to music in captivity anecdotally, but in analysing social media videos of cockatoos dancing, researchers identified 17 new moves.
The researchers found that the top 10 most common dance moves differed between species; even those closely related did not display similar dances.
The study then focused on cockatoos housed at Wagga Wagga Zoo, where they were played music, a podcast and no audio, and regardless of whether music was being played or not, all the birds performed dance moves.
Researcher Natasha Lubke said her analysis was "far more complex and varied than previously thought" and an excellent model to study parrot emotions.
"The work suggests that playing music to parrots may provide a useful approach to enrich their lives in captivity, with positive effects on their welfare," Ms Lubke said.
Only humans and parrots have been reported to spontaneously dance in time to music, with dancing being a result of complex brain processes.
The paper said many of the cockatoos' dance moves were similar to courtship displays of wild parrots, which suggests that their dancing abilities may have originated from this behaviour and been redirected towards their owners.
Professor Rafael Freire said similarities with human dancing made it "hard to argue against well-developed cognitive and emotional processes in parrots".
He said playing music to parrots may improve their welfare.
"Further research would be beneficial to determine if music can trigger dance in captive birds and serve as a form of environmental enrichment."
Do the birds actually enjoy dancing? More research is required to find that out too.
The iconic cockatoo could put most Aussies to shame on the dancefloor with a new study finding they have at least 30 moves in their repertoire.
But beyond the moves, including headbanging, sidesteps and body rolls, the Charles Sturt University researchers found some captive birds performed their own individual dance moves, often by combining several moves in unique ways.
Parrots have been observed dancing to music in captivity anecdotally, but in analysing social media videos of cockatoos dancing, researchers identified 17 new moves.
The researchers found that the top 10 most common dance moves differed between species; even those closely related did not display similar dances.
The study then focused on cockatoos housed at Wagga Wagga Zoo, where they were played music, a podcast and no audio, and regardless of whether music was being played or not, all the birds performed dance moves.
Researcher Natasha Lubke said her analysis was "far more complex and varied than previously thought" and an excellent model to study parrot emotions.
"The work suggests that playing music to parrots may provide a useful approach to enrich their lives in captivity, with positive effects on their welfare," Ms Lubke said.
Only humans and parrots have been reported to spontaneously dance in time to music, with dancing being a result of complex brain processes.
The paper said many of the cockatoos' dance moves were similar to courtship displays of wild parrots, which suggests that their dancing abilities may have originated from this behaviour and been redirected towards their owners.
Professor Rafael Freire said similarities with human dancing made it "hard to argue against well-developed cognitive and emotional processes in parrots".
He said playing music to parrots may improve their welfare.
"Further research would be beneficial to determine if music can trigger dance in captive birds and serve as a form of environmental enrichment."
Do the birds actually enjoy dancing? More research is required to find that out too.
The iconic cockatoo could put most Aussies to shame on the dancefloor with a new study finding they have at least 30 moves in their repertoire.
But beyond the moves, including headbanging, sidesteps and body rolls, the Charles Sturt University researchers found some captive birds performed their own individual dance moves, often by combining several moves in unique ways.
Parrots have been observed dancing to music in captivity anecdotally, but in analysing social media videos of cockatoos dancing, researchers identified 17 new moves.
The researchers found that the top 10 most common dance moves differed between species; even those closely related did not display similar dances.
The study then focused on cockatoos housed at Wagga Wagga Zoo, where they were played music, a podcast and no audio, and regardless of whether music was being played or not, all the birds performed dance moves.
Researcher Natasha Lubke said her analysis was "far more complex and varied than previously thought" and an excellent model to study parrot emotions.
"The work suggests that playing music to parrots may provide a useful approach to enrich their lives in captivity, with positive effects on their welfare," Ms Lubke said.
Only humans and parrots have been reported to spontaneously dance in time to music, with dancing being a result of complex brain processes.
The paper said many of the cockatoos' dance moves were similar to courtship displays of wild parrots, which suggests that their dancing abilities may have originated from this behaviour and been redirected towards their owners.
Professor Rafael Freire said similarities with human dancing made it "hard to argue against well-developed cognitive and emotional processes in parrots".
He said playing music to parrots may improve their welfare.
"Further research would be beneficial to determine if music can trigger dance in captive birds and serve as a form of environmental enrichment."
Do the birds actually enjoy dancing? More research is required to find that out too.
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News.com.au
3 days ago
- News.com.au
Cockatoos can bust a move: Australian research
Cockatoo birds are renowned in Australia for their raucous singing, but researchers said Thursday they also boast an impressive array of dance moves. Many Australians regard cockatoos as something of a nuisance, a reputation owed in part to the parrots' cacophonous, screeching cries. But when they are not using their sharp beaks to rifle through rubbish, a new study found many cockatoo species seemed to enjoy shaking their tail feathers. Charles Sturt University researcher Natasha Lubke documented 30 different dance moves while studying various species of cockatoo -- from headbanging to body rolls. "I showed that dancing behaviour is more common in cockatoos than previously thought, and was seen in 10 of the 21 cockatoo species," said Lubke. Lubke scrolled through YouTube videos to document the dancing behaviours of pet cockatoos around the world, as well as observing the birds at Australia's Wagga Wagga Zoo. The research suggested that cockatoos "can experience pleasure and enjoy dancing", she said. Animal behaviour expert Raf Freire, who supervised the research, said it was a sign of "well-developed cognitive and emotional processes in parrots". The study was published in peer-reviewed journal PLOS One. Once dubbed "Australia's naughtiest bird", the sometimes irksome behaviour of sulphur-crested cockatoos is a source of constant fascination to scientists. Researchers earlier this year documented how a flock of cockatoos in urban Sydney had figured out how to use drinking fountains. The Australian government in 2017 spent US$50,000 (Aus$80,000) repairing damage to high-speed internet cables stripped and chewed by cockatoos.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Squawker on the dance floor: Cockatoos busting out 30 moves
The headbang, body roll, foot lift and sidestep – cockatoos can bust out some serious dance moves, Australian researchers have found. Scientists from Charles Sturt University analysed 45 social media videos of cockatoos dancing, from which they identified 17 new dance steps and a total of 30 distinct moves. These dancing behaviours were present in both companion birds and captive birds. The research team also observed dancing behaviour in six cockatoos across three species kept at Wagga Wagga Zoo. These captive cockatoos were seen dancing both with and without music playing, and some even performed their own individual dance moves by combining several moves in unique ways. Primary supervisor of the study Rafael Freire said the similarities observed in the dancing behaviour of cockatoos and humans suggests the presence of well-developed cognitive and emotional processes in the birds. 'When you look at the cognitive processes that you need to dance to music, the recognition, the synchronising motor movements to a certain rhythmic beat, the brain processes required in that interpretation and that control are quite sophisticated,' Freire, a professor in animal behaviour and welfare, said. 'So far, the only clear evidence of somebody other than a human being able to do this, what we call entrainment, is chimpanzees can seem to clap to a rhythm... It's only early days, but we already know parrots are very good at problem-solving and are very clever in a lot of measures, and this may be another indicator of their cleverness.' The most commonly observed moves included sidestepping, body rolls, headbanging and the 'footlift' and 'turn'. Some species of parrots have been observed dancing to music in captivity, but before this study, spontaneous dancing in time to music had only ever been reported in parrots and humans.
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- The Advertiser
Cockatoo-step: researchers identify the dance moves of iconic Aussie bird
The iconic cockatoo could put most Aussies to shame on the dancefloor with a new study finding they have at least 30 moves in their repertoire. But beyond the moves, including headbanging, sidesteps and body rolls, the Charles Sturt University researchers found some captive birds performed their own individual dance moves, often by combining several moves in unique ways. Parrots have been observed dancing to music in captivity anecdotally, but in analysing social media videos of cockatoos dancing, researchers identified 17 new moves. The researchers found that the top 10 most common dance moves differed between species; even those closely related did not display similar dances. The study then focused on cockatoos housed at Wagga Wagga Zoo, where they were played music, a podcast and no audio, and regardless of whether music was being played or not, all the birds performed dance moves. Researcher Natasha Lubke said her analysis was "far more complex and varied than previously thought" and an excellent model to study parrot emotions. "The work suggests that playing music to parrots may provide a useful approach to enrich their lives in captivity, with positive effects on their welfare," Ms Lubke said. Only humans and parrots have been reported to spontaneously dance in time to music, with dancing being a result of complex brain processes. The paper said many of the cockatoos' dance moves were similar to courtship displays of wild parrots, which suggests that their dancing abilities may have originated from this behaviour and been redirected towards their owners. Professor Rafael Freire said similarities with human dancing made it "hard to argue against well-developed cognitive and emotional processes in parrots". He said playing music to parrots may improve their welfare. "Further research would be beneficial to determine if music can trigger dance in captive birds and serve as a form of environmental enrichment." Do the birds actually enjoy dancing? More research is required to find that out too. The iconic cockatoo could put most Aussies to shame on the dancefloor with a new study finding they have at least 30 moves in their repertoire. But beyond the moves, including headbanging, sidesteps and body rolls, the Charles Sturt University researchers found some captive birds performed their own individual dance moves, often by combining several moves in unique ways. Parrots have been observed dancing to music in captivity anecdotally, but in analysing social media videos of cockatoos dancing, researchers identified 17 new moves. The researchers found that the top 10 most common dance moves differed between species; even those closely related did not display similar dances. The study then focused on cockatoos housed at Wagga Wagga Zoo, where they were played music, a podcast and no audio, and regardless of whether music was being played or not, all the birds performed dance moves. Researcher Natasha Lubke said her analysis was "far more complex and varied than previously thought" and an excellent model to study parrot emotions. "The work suggests that playing music to parrots may provide a useful approach to enrich their lives in captivity, with positive effects on their welfare," Ms Lubke said. Only humans and parrots have been reported to spontaneously dance in time to music, with dancing being a result of complex brain processes. The paper said many of the cockatoos' dance moves were similar to courtship displays of wild parrots, which suggests that their dancing abilities may have originated from this behaviour and been redirected towards their owners. Professor Rafael Freire said similarities with human dancing made it "hard to argue against well-developed cognitive and emotional processes in parrots". He said playing music to parrots may improve their welfare. "Further research would be beneficial to determine if music can trigger dance in captive birds and serve as a form of environmental enrichment." Do the birds actually enjoy dancing? More research is required to find that out too. The iconic cockatoo could put most Aussies to shame on the dancefloor with a new study finding they have at least 30 moves in their repertoire. But beyond the moves, including headbanging, sidesteps and body rolls, the Charles Sturt University researchers found some captive birds performed their own individual dance moves, often by combining several moves in unique ways. Parrots have been observed dancing to music in captivity anecdotally, but in analysing social media videos of cockatoos dancing, researchers identified 17 new moves. The researchers found that the top 10 most common dance moves differed between species; even those closely related did not display similar dances. The study then focused on cockatoos housed at Wagga Wagga Zoo, where they were played music, a podcast and no audio, and regardless of whether music was being played or not, all the birds performed dance moves. Researcher Natasha Lubke said her analysis was "far more complex and varied than previously thought" and an excellent model to study parrot emotions. "The work suggests that playing music to parrots may provide a useful approach to enrich their lives in captivity, with positive effects on their welfare," Ms Lubke said. Only humans and parrots have been reported to spontaneously dance in time to music, with dancing being a result of complex brain processes. The paper said many of the cockatoos' dance moves were similar to courtship displays of wild parrots, which suggests that their dancing abilities may have originated from this behaviour and been redirected towards their owners. Professor Rafael Freire said similarities with human dancing made it "hard to argue against well-developed cognitive and emotional processes in parrots". He said playing music to parrots may improve their welfare. "Further research would be beneficial to determine if music can trigger dance in captive birds and serve as a form of environmental enrichment." Do the birds actually enjoy dancing? More research is required to find that out too. The iconic cockatoo could put most Aussies to shame on the dancefloor with a new study finding they have at least 30 moves in their repertoire. But beyond the moves, including headbanging, sidesteps and body rolls, the Charles Sturt University researchers found some captive birds performed their own individual dance moves, often by combining several moves in unique ways. Parrots have been observed dancing to music in captivity anecdotally, but in analysing social media videos of cockatoos dancing, researchers identified 17 new moves. The researchers found that the top 10 most common dance moves differed between species; even those closely related did not display similar dances. The study then focused on cockatoos housed at Wagga Wagga Zoo, where they were played music, a podcast and no audio, and regardless of whether music was being played or not, all the birds performed dance moves. Researcher Natasha Lubke said her analysis was "far more complex and varied than previously thought" and an excellent model to study parrot emotions. "The work suggests that playing music to parrots may provide a useful approach to enrich their lives in captivity, with positive effects on their welfare," Ms Lubke said. Only humans and parrots have been reported to spontaneously dance in time to music, with dancing being a result of complex brain processes. The paper said many of the cockatoos' dance moves were similar to courtship displays of wild parrots, which suggests that their dancing abilities may have originated from this behaviour and been redirected towards their owners. Professor Rafael Freire said similarities with human dancing made it "hard to argue against well-developed cognitive and emotional processes in parrots". He said playing music to parrots may improve their welfare. "Further research would be beneficial to determine if music can trigger dance in captive birds and serve as a form of environmental enrichment." Do the birds actually enjoy dancing? More research is required to find that out too.
