Researchers at Northeastern teach parrots to video chat one another

For years, researchers and pet owners alike have known that parrots are among the smartest animals on earth. Some studies have even found their intelligence to be comparable to young human children. 

A new study, in which parrots were successfully taught how to make video calls to other birds, shows just how remarkable our feathered friends are. What’s more, using technology to make these calls could actually benefit the health and happiness of these bids. 

The study, conducted by researchers at Northeastern University, MIT, and the University of Glasgow, gave different types of parrots the opportunity to use tablets and smartphones to call one another with Facebook Messenger.

The main question researchers wanted to answer, according to Northeastern Global News, was whether or not the parrots would actually choose to call each other. 

“Some strong social dynamics started appearing,” Rébecca Kleinberger, an assistant professor at Northeastern, told the university’s news outlet. 

Caregivers for 18 birds taught their parrots to ring a bell if they wanted to make a call. Once the birds learned how to use the interface on these devices, they were not rewarded with a treat for choosing to dial up a friend. After ringing the bell, parrots were presented with a home screen that showed pictures of other birds they could call. 

The caregivers coordinated with others to arrange three-hour sessions, during which their birds could start up to two calls lasting no more than five minutes each, according to Northeastern. The parrots learned how to tap the screen with their beaks and initiate a call. 

At the first sign of fear or aggression, the caretakers were instructed to end the calls. 

The caregivers involved were experienced handlers who introduced the technology slowly and meticulously monitored how their birds reacted, according to Northeastern. Trying this at home could make one’s bird fearful and violent, potentially leading to the destruction of valuable devices. 

In total, 15 birds completed the full study, while three dropped out in the early stages. 

Researchers found that the birds freely started the calls and understood that a real parrot was on the other end. Caregivers reported that the calls were positive experiences for the parrots, with some even learning new skills from other birds like foraging and new vocalizations, according to Northeastern. 

The parrots mostly stayed on calls for the maximum allotted time, and formed notable preferences for which birds they enjoyed calling. 

The vocalizations that the parrots generally used, essentially greeting each other and saying “I’m here,” was in line with call-and-responses that they would use in the wild, Kleinberger told Northeastern Global News.

Researchers also found that the parrots who initiated the most calls were the ones who also received the most calls. 

Some birds even formed attachments to the human caregivers of their parrot friends. 

“It really speaks to how cognitively complex these birds are and how much ability they have to express themselves,” Ilyena Hirskyj-Douglas, an assistant professor at the University of Glasgow, told Northeastern Global News.