Posted on 09/14/2022 1:21:50 PM PDT by BenLurkin
Residents in the suburbs of Sydney, Australia, are in the midst of an escalating feud with a neighboring population of wild sulphur-crested cockatoos (Cacatua galerita) over an unlikely prize: household trash. While this conflict may sound comical, researchers report that it shows all the signs of an "innovation arms race," in which two species become trapped in a cycle of behavioral changes as they continually try to one-up or outthink one another.
The sharp-witted cockatoos have earned the unflattering nickname "trash parrots" after learning to open up flip-top garbage bins to pillage their contents. In 2018, videos shared online showed the resourceful birds grabbing onto the rims of bin lids with their beaks or feet, shimmying down toward the hinge and eventually flipping the plastic covers entirely off the containers. After watching the footage, researchers investigated the behavior and found that the cockatoos were working out how to open the bins by observing one another, which is known as social learning.
Since then, local residents have deployed numerous countermeasures — including bricks, sticks, locks and even rubber snakes — to prevent the cunning cockatoos from inadvertently covering the streets in trash. However, not all these countermeasures have proven to be effective at outwitting the cockatoos, who continue to outsmart the humans and break into bins where they can.
These countermeasures ranged from simple solutions, such as weighing down the lid with bricks or water bottles, to more ingenious ideas... However, the major limitation of all these countermeasures is that bin collectors must be able to easily remove the lid in order to collect the trash inside.
(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...
Looks like a Hitchcock movie!
“Trash Parrots” a new name for the Dems.
Those Aussies just need to put a lock on, then stand by to open the lock on Garbage Day.
Or, have one key to fit dozens of the same kind of lock.
The Garbage men could carry their own key.
Not overly mysterious.
And then there’s Snowball the Cockatoo, the first non-human conclusively demonstrated to be capable of beat induction:[1] perceiving music and synchronizing his body movements to the beat (i.e. dancing).
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowball_(cockatoo)
And here’s Snowball rockin:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7IZmRnAo6s
Having owned Parrots, the males love music with a beat.
Cockatoo verses the 12 gauge. The 12 gauge is undefeated!!
LOL!
Look out, the cockatoos will peck your eye out.
Four wheels scare the cockatoos
From Kintore, east to Yuendemu
The Western Desert lives and breathes
In forty-five degrees
Thousands. $2500 and up sometimes.
Flying three year old with a chisel and a pair of pliers.
At full volume!
The Australian Military took on emus and lost. Search “Great Emu War”.
Reminds me of Australia’s 2021 mouse plague, the stuff of nightmares. Although not as procreative, this current plague can fly.
They are worth thousands and are extraordinary pets. The Aussie gov’t slaughters them by the millions and prevents their export absolutely, punishable by imprisonment and outrageous fines.
Oh, no. That’s not a plague. That’s just a large flock in normal conditions.
language warning
So, they are Democrats! Explains much, it does...................
Yes, I saw that some tme agai. Imagine someone teaching obscenities to a whole flock of dumpster diving cockatoos?
Thats cringeworthy! LOL.
Drill four small holes around the brick, and zip tie through the holes. You'll keep the weight there enough to the bird can't get in, but the collectors will be able to easily.
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