Cockatoos can bust a move: Australian research
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.
sft/djw
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
People Can't Get Over the Size of New Stick Insect Species Found in Australia
People Can't Get Over the Size of New Stick Insect Species Found in Australia originally appeared on PetHelpful. There are some seriously big bugs out there, but none quite like this one! A new species of stick insect was recently discovered in Australia, and it's giving people the creeps. ABC News shared a video of the massive bug, and it's safe to say it's not for the faint of heart! Although it looks like your everyday stick bug, it's a super-sized one that has wings. Researchers say that it's over 15 inches long and may be the heaviest insect in the country. Imagine taking a walk and seeing this bug walking towards you! This is just wild! ABC News' videos don't normally get a ton of comments, but this one got more than 1, had a lot to say about the big bug! One commenter spoke the truth when they said, "Of course it's in Australia." @WafflesandMimosas shared, "Australia really has the most subtle anti tourism ads..." @keelee added, "I don't care what anyone says Australia is Jumanji."More About Australia's Recently Discovered Stick Bug Commenter @Kevin made us laugh when he wondered, "'Scientists just discovered….' How the h*ll was a 40cm, 8kg bug not noticed before???" This new species of stick bug (aka Acrophylla alta species) weighs 1.55 ounces - about the same as a golf ball - and is 15.75 inches long, according to CNN. Angus Emmott, of James Cook University, helped identify the insect and said, "the creature's large size could be an evolutionary response to its cool, wet habitat." It was found in "the canopies of the mountainous Wet Tropics region of Far North Queensland, in Australia's northeast." In a press release he explained, "Their body mass likely helps them survive the colder conditions, and that's why they've developed into this large insect over millions of years.' The reason it's taken so long to discover these insects is twofold: the area they inhabit isn't heavily populated, and they live high up in the trees, making them easy to miss. Emmott added, "It's restricted to a small area of high-altitude rainforest, and it lives high in the canopy. So, unless you get a cyclone or a bird bringing one down, very few people get to see them." People Can't Get Over the Size of New Stick Insect Species Found in Australia first appeared on PetHelpful on Aug 10, 2025 This story was originally reported by PetHelpful on Aug 10, 2025, where it first appeared. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Giant Stick Insect Found Hiding in Rainforest May Be Australia's Heaviest
A colossal stick insect found living in the highland rainforest of northeastern Australia could be the chonkiest (read: heaviest) bug the continent has to offer. Acrophylla alta, as the species has been named, weighs up to 44 grams (1.6 ounces) – comparable to a golf ball. In length, it measures around 41 cm (16 inches) with its legs outstretched, significantly longer than the average human forearm. "There are longer stick insects out there [in the region], but they're fairly light bodied," says natural scientist Angus Emmott, formerly of Australia's James Cook University, now retired. "From what we know to date, this is Australia's heaviest insect." The newly discovered bug makes its home high in the canopy of the Atherton Tablelands, a highland rainforest in tropical Queensland in Australia. Here, the trees are old, and can be up to 30 meters (100 feet) high. Many insect species have been understudied and overlooked, simply because their habitat is so hard for humans to access. Related: 'Bone Collector' Caterpillar Wears Dead Bugs to Steal Prey From Spiders In the case of A. alta, there's another confounding factor: in its natural habitat, the insect is extremely well camouflaged, in spite of its humungous size and weight. Because Atherton is a tropical region, however, weather events such as storms can sometimes rattle insects loose from the canopy. A. alta was discovered because amateur naturalists came across it at lower altitudes than these kinds of insects are typically seen, and uploaded their observations to iNaturalist. There, they were spotted by entomologist Ross Coupland, who recruited Emmott to investigate the mysterious species. They managed to observe and collect some specimens – and, crucially for identification, the species' eggs. "Every species of stick insect has their own distinct egg style," Emmott explains. "They've all got different surfaces and different textures and pitting, and they can be different shapes. Even the caps on them are all very unique." The insect's hefty weight, the researchers say, could be an adaptation that helps it thrive in the treetops of Atherton, where conditions are cool and wet. A higher body mass reduces the rate at which thermal energy is lost, which could be beneficial for the stick insect's egg development. Further research would be needed to confirm this theory, though. The research also underscores just how little we know about the world around us, when an insect as chonky as A. alta can evade detection for all this time. "The discovery of such a large, new species of insect is testament to the importance of protecting remaining, biologically diverse habitats and ecosystems, as there may be further species of phasmid and other insects awaiting discovery and description therein," the researchers write. Their discovery has been published in Zootaxa. Related News Evidence of World-Changing Comet Explosion 12,800 Years Ago Found in The Ocean 'Hot Blob' Heading For New York Following Ancient Greenland Rift Prehistoric Air Has Been Reconstructed From Dinosaur Teeth in an Amazing First Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Yahoo
A Scientist Says He's Solved the Bermuda Triangle, Just Like That
Here's what you'll learn when you read this story: An Australian scientist says probabilities are the leading cause of the Bermuda Triangle disappearances. And he's not the only one. Add in suspect weather, and iffy plane and boat piloting, and Karl Kruszelnicki believes there's no reason to believe in the Bermuda Triangle phenomenon. While the conspiracy of the Bermuda Triangle has existed for decades, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association and Lloyd's of London has long championed the same ideas. Pick any one of the more than 50 ships or 20 planes that have disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle in the last century. Each one has a story without an ending, leading to a litany of conspiracy theories about the disappearances in the area, marked roughly by Florida, Bermuda, and the Greater Antilles. Australian scientist Karl Kruszelnicki doesn't subscribe to the Bermuda Triangle's supernatural reputation. Neither does the United States' own National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA). Both have been saying for years that there's really no Bermuda Triangle mystery. In fact, the loss and disappearance of ships and planes is a mere fact of probabilities. 'There is no evidence that mysterious disappearances occur with any greater frequency in the Bermuda Triangle than in any other large, well-traveled area of the ocean,' NOAA wrote in 2010. And since 2017, Kruszelnicki has been saying the same thing. He told The Independent that the transparent volume of traffic—in a tricky area to navigate, no less—shows 'the number [of ships and planes] that go missing in the Bermuda Triangle is the same as anywhere in the world on a percentage basis.' He says that both Lloyd's of London and the U.S. Coast Guard support that idea. In fact, as The Independent notes, Lloyd's of London has had this same theory since the 1970s. NOAA says environmental considerations can explain away most of the Bermuda Triangle disappearances, highlighting the Gulf Stream's tendency towards violent changes in weather, the number of islands in the Caribbean Sea offering a complicated navigation adventure, and evidence that suggests the Bermuda Triangle may cause a magnetic compass to point to true north instead of magnetic north, causing for confusion in wayfinding. 'The U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard contend that there are no supernatural explanations for disasters at sea,' NOAA says. 'Their experience suggests that the combined forces of nature and human fallibility outdo even the most incredulous science fiction.' Kruszelnicki has routinely garnered public attention for espousing these very thoughts on the Bermuda Triangle, first in 2017 and then again in 2022 before resurfacing once more in 2023. Throughout it all, he's stuck to the same idea: the numbers don't lie. Even with some high-profile disappearances—such as Flight 19, a group of five U.S. Navy TBM Avenger torpedo bombers lost in 1945—pushing the theory into popular culture, Kruszelnicki points out that every instance contains a degree of poor weather or likely human error (or both, as in the case of Flight 19) as the true culprit. But culture clings to Bermuda Triangle conspiracy theories. The concepts of sea monsters, aliens, and even the entirety of Atlantis dropping to the ocean floor—those are fodder for books, television, and movies. It sure does sound more exciting than poor weather and mathematical probabilities, anyway, even if the 'boring' story holds more water. Get the Issue Get the Issue Get the Issue Get the Issue Get the Issue Get the Issue Get the IssueGet the Issue Get the Issue You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
