17 Jun 2020

The Puzzle for Parrots

I have been watching the YouTube video, Maker's Muse, which introduces models that are made with a 3D printer. This channel administrates by an industrial designer, Angus Deveson.
My favorite videos of his I used to watch are usually related to gears like Geneva mechanism, but the latest video that is not related to gears caught my eye. It was about a puzzle made for a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo named Popeye.

As he introduces the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo on the video, they have a destructive reputation and are intelligent. I have incurred numerous damage by them pulling and biting the plants I had grown, yet I do not hate them, or more than that, my curiosity for those tinker birds has increased.

There is another example that proves their intelligence. The Sulphur-crested Cockatoo that lives in Sydney seems they figured out how to open the garbage bin lid. They open the lid using their foot and beak.
Here is the link of the news article.
ABC News
Sulphur-crested cockatoos raiding wheelie bins are (annoying) examples of animal behavioural adaptation
https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2019-09-01/cockatoos-in-bins-animal-culture-off-track/11439076

Having a skillful beak, feet and strong curiosity, I would not be surprised if they solve puzzles, and here it is, a puzzle for the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo.

Seeing is believing, please watch the video, "Can Wild Parrots Solve Puzzles?"



Even I knew they are intelligent birds I did not expect Popeye can solve the puzzle in such a short time. It seems like Popeye remembered pulling the dowel out. The second time the attempt took only under 30 seconds.

On the video, Angus says that he welcomes the new puzzle ideas for Popeye. I know there are puzzle lovers visiting this blog. You guys usually design puzzles for human beings, but why don't you try to think of a puzzle for parrots?

If you have got any ideas, please leave a comment, not here, on the YouTube page of the video.

Maker's Muse Website: https://www.makersmuse.com/

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