You’ve probably seen countless videos parrots doing countless of tricks, but let’s dig a little deeper into these birds’ intelligence. Here’s some mind-blowing facts about parrots that prove how clever they are.
#1 Mimicking Beyond Words
Puerto Rican Parrot. By USDAgov – https://www.flickr.com/photos/41284017@N08/52888353198/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=132057515
The first thing that comes to your mins is probably how they’re able to mimic human speech, right?
This is amazing, yes, but what’s even more amazing is their ability to mimic virtually any sound they hear! Anything from sirens and farts to other animal sounds – they can do it all.
#2 Understanding Cause and Effect
Image by OndrejProsicky via depositphotos
In scientific tests, parrots have demonstrated they can solve complex puzzles to access food (such as completing mazes or unlocking boxes.) #Although this might not sound groundbreaking it shows that they have an understanding of cause and effect – an advanced cognitive ability.
#3 Outstanding Memory
Image by Chuttersnap via Unsplash
They say an elephant never forgets, but the same goes for these colorful creatures.
They can remember the locations of hundreds of seeds they’ve hidden. In contrast, I can never remember where I’ve put my car keys!
In the wild this is crucial for remembering the locations of food sources, but also makes them masters of various memory games.
#4 Understands Social Cues
Image via Pixabay
These birds are highly social creatures, capable of understanding social cues and adapting their behavior accordingly (which, let’s be true, can even be rather rare in humans.) They can work together to achieve common goals and may even participate in social learning, such as learning from demonstration.
#5 Tool Use
Image by Ed van Duijn via Unsplash
Some species, like the Kea from New Zealand, use tools in their everyday life. They use sticks to rake in seeds or pebbles to grind seashells for calcium.
#6 Emotional Intelligence
Image by Tavis Beck via Unsplash
If you’ve ever owned a parrot or known someone who has you’ll have seen the incredibly deep bods they can form with humans.
They display empathy, grief, and joy, reacting to the emotions of others around them.
#7 Remembering Faces
Image via Pixabay
Parrots have excellent facial recognition, which goes hand in hand with how strongly they bond with their owners.
#8 Understanding Shape and Color
Image via Pixabay
Research has shown that parrots can distinguish between different shapes and colors. Likewise, they can even understand the concept of ‘same’ and ‘different’.
This ability to abstract is a hallmark of higher intelligence.
#9 Can Do Basic Maths
Image by Saeed Lajami via Unsplash
Granted, they can’t solve complex equations but they do exhibit an understanding of basic arithmetic and can differentiate between quantities – which is still incredibly impressive for an animal!
Studies have shown that parrots can count small numbers of items and choose groups containing more or fewer items.
Mind-Blowing Facts About Parrots: Wrapping Up
Image via Pixabay
All in all, parrots are highly intelligent creatures. For these reasons (and them being generally adorable) having one as a pet is an extremely unique and rewarding experience.
Thank you for reading this article about these mind-blowing facts about parrots! For similar posts, take a look here:
Author at Animals Around The Globe. BA Gender Studies & Literature
Josie is Swedish but has lived in South Africa for 12 years. She spends as much time as possible in the ocean or hiking in the mountains, no matter the weather. Although she adores all sorts of animals, dogs occupy the biggest spot in her heart – especially her Maltese-Chihuahua named Bootsy.
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