Parrots learn to make video calls to chat with other parrots, then develop friendships, Northeastern University researchers say

A new study from researchers at Northeastern University, in collaboration with scientists from MIT and the University of Glasgow, investigated what happened when a group of domesticated birds were taught to call one another on tablets and smartphones.

The results suggest that video calls could help parrots approximate birds’ communication in the wild, improving their behavior—and, likely, their well-being—in their owners’ homes.

Rébecca Kleinberger, an assistant professor at Northeastern; Jennifer Cunha, a parrot behaviorist and Northeastern researcher; and Ilyena Hirskyj-Douglas, an assistant professor at the University of Glasgow, showed a group of parrots across a range of species and their volunteer caregivers to use tablets and smartphones how to video-call one another on Facebook Messenger. —northeastern.edu

 

Post was last modified on 27 Apr 2023 3:26 pm

Share
Published by
Dennis G. Jerz

Recent Posts

First they came… #kristallnacht @nccheshu

First they came… #kristallnacht @nccheshu

3 days ago

Sorry, not sorry. I don’t want such friends.

Back in 2003, shortly after I moved with my wife and two young children to…

5 days ago

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. @thepublicpgh

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. @thepublicpgh

5 days ago

Despite its impressive output, generative AI doesn’t have a coherent understanding of the world

[A] popular type of generative AI model can provide turn-by-turn driving directions in New York City…

6 days ago