These Cockatoos Jam Out to Animotion (Volume Up!)

Who doesn’t love a good ’80s jam? “Obsession” may be a classic, but Animotion has nothing on these cockatoos shared by furbabiesplus. These two bird buddies are ready to get the party started and strut their stuff to the beat. Skeptics previously dismissed cockatoos’ dancing abilities as just courtship behavior or mimicry. However, it turns out that cockatoos, and birds in general, are far more intelligent and creative than humans have ever given them credit for.

Dancing is for the Birds

Researchers believe the reason animals like dogs and cats don’t dance is because dancing is restricted to vocal learners. These are animals that can change their vocalizations as a result of experience. Birds are not the only vocal learners. However, they are the closest to humans in terms of vocal learning abilities. Evidence indicates that bats, dolphins, whales, elephants, and seals are also vocal learners. Yet, so far, cockatoos and other parrot species are the only animals that have been observed breaking out into spontaneous dancing.

Early research focused on the internet-famous cockatoo, Snowball. The case study demonstrated that not only could Snowball keep the beat, but he could also develop new moves. This allowed him to dance differently depending on the song. Scientists concluded the dancing was not simply a response to human culture, as it was previously theorized. Ongoing work in the field indicates that cockatoos have specific cognitive and neural abilities that make them want to shake their tail feathers.

“Bird Brain” Isn’t the Insult It Used to Be

Experts in avian cognition believe that parrot species, including cockatoos, may be using their forebrains to anticipate and move to the beat. The forebrain, or pallium, is similar to the neocortex in mammals. The neocortex is the part of the brain responsible for complex cognitive processes. Scientists have found that despite birds’ smaller brains, they contain twice the number of neurons per unit of mass than monkeys and apes.

Avian cognitive skills can vary widely by species. Yet, researchers have concluded some birds, particularly the larger-brained birds such as parrots and corvids, are as intelligent as dolphins and apes. They may even be as smart as the earliest humans. Some crows, jays, and rooks are as competent, if not more so, than children under age eight when it comes to identifying and understanding causality.

Researchers believe that parrots share certain traits with humans that have led to them to take to the dance floor. In addition to vocal learning, they can imitate nonverbal movement, form long-lasting social bonds, learn complicated sequences of events, and take notice of body movements intended to communicate meaning.

So, Are These Birds Actually Dancing?

One of the arguments for Snowball the cockatoo’s dancing was that wild cockatoos do not use those types of movements in courtship displays. While white cockatoos, Cacatua alba, do have some impressive moves to wow the ladies, the dancing demonstrated by the birds is not indicative of courtship behavior. During courtship, the males extend their tail feathers and spread their wings. Yet, neither of these behaviors is shown above.

Cockatoos do raise their crests and bounce around during courtship rituals. However, they also raise their crests when they are alarmed, excited, happy, or curious. Not to mention these birds appear to be the same sex. Female cockatoos have smaller heads and beaks, as well as reddish-brown irises. So, while some might remain doubtful, researchers are convinced that cockatoos are capable of human-like dancing. These birds may be closer to dinosaurs than humans, but they can still get their groove on.