PETS

Call your parrot

PARROTS are social animals and have remarkable intelligence that requires stimulation to keep them entertained. Parrots are very popular pets and are often chosen because they are low maintenance when compared to other animals. For this reason, parrots can spend a lot of time alone and are suffering from loneliness and even depression.

In some cases, the isolation of parrots causes them emotional distress or even psychological disorders which can manifest some selfharming behaviours such as plucking feathers.

In a mission to combat these issues, some scientists designed a technological interaction model so that a group of parrots could make video calls with almost no human intervention. Eighteen parrots were chosen for the experiment and the first step was to teach them to recognise the digital tablets bell and the next to show them how to call or decline a video call. The results showed that out of 234 possible calls the parrots made 147 calls, and 74 per cent responded positively to requests to hold video conferences with other parrots typically consisting of a five­minute video call!

The carers noted during the experiment that the birds enjoy contact with other parrots: they approach the screen, offer food to them and even sing in coordination. And when they move or disappear from the screen the parrots reacted by looking behind the device hoping to find them there. The experiment is ongoing but has already demonstrated an improvement in the mood of the birds selected.