"Insightful" string-pulling in Grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) is affected by vocal competence

Area of Science:

• Animal Cognition
• Avian Behavior
• Primate Tool Use Analogs

Background:

• Tool use is a complex cognitive ability observed in various species.
• Investigating tool use in birds, like Grey parrots, offers insights into cognitive evolution.
• Previous studies highlight the sophisticated cognitive capacities of Psittacus erithacus.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of referential communication training on tool-use task performance in Grey parrots.
• To determine if language-based requests interfere with the execution of a physical problem-solving task.

Main Methods:

• Four Grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) were presented with a tool-use task requiring coordinated beak-foot actions to retrieve a suspended item.
• Birds were divided into two groups: one with minimal referential English training and another with training to request the target item.
• Task success and behavioral responses, including requesting and manipulation, were recorded.

Main Results:

• Parrots with minimal referential training successfully retrieved the suspended item using coordinated beak-foot actions.
• Parrots trained to request the item failed to retrieve it, instead engaging in repeated verbal requests.
• This suggests a potential conflict between communicative and manipulative behaviors.

Conclusions:

• Referential communication training may hinder the performance of complex physical tasks in Grey parrots.
• The study indicates that the cognitive strategies employed for communication and tool use can be distinct and potentially competing.
• Further research is needed to understand the interplay between language and problem-solving in non-human animals.