The cockatoos are a small group with 22 species within the order of parrots, native to Australia, New Guinea and neighboring islands. They have previously shown themselves to be able to dance, especially when they hear music. But that they mastered so many different movements has come as a surprise.
In the study, which is published in the scientific journal Plos One, the researchers, who are active at Charles Sturt University in Australia and Bristol University in the UK, have analyzed 45 recordings on social media showing dancing tame cockatoos. There, 30 distinct dance movements were identified, of which 17 have not been previously described – in addition to headbanging, head shaking, and body roll, also sideways steps, sidesteps.
Mating behavior
Some individuals had a few, highly personal, movements, or a unique way of combining certain movements. To some extent, the dancing differed depending on which species it concerned, and each species had its own favorite movements. Apparently, all species of cockatoos dance, with or without music.
The question is why. Many of the movements are very similar to movements that the birds make when they court each other – mating behavior in other words. The difference is that the tame birds often seem to direct their dancing towards their human owners.
Creates music
Wild cockatoos have also shown themselves to be able to synchronize their movements. In the absence of music, they seem to create their own, inner rhythm that can be likened to dance. The males of the large palm cockatoo strike a stick or a seed pod against a hollow branch repeatedly, and the drumming is accompanied by various calls and movements to attract females. The analysis reveals that the drumming follows a pattern that resembles music – a form of rhythmic courtship.
Do the cockatoos think dancing is fun? No one knows, but it seems so, and the researchers believe that by playing music for cockatoos in captivity, one can make their lives richer, with positive effects on their mental and physical health.
Facts: Cockatoos
TT
The cockatoos (Cacatuidae) are a family with 22 species within the order of parrots. They are found in Australia, New Guinea, and a number of smaller islands in eastern Indonesia.
All are social and move periodically in large flocks. They are cavity-nesting and live in varying types of environments, from rainforests to semi-deserts.
Seven of the species are threatened with extinction, mostly due to the trade in cage birds, but several species in Australia are very numerous and easy to see in the right environment.
