WASHINGTON (AP) — Sulfur-crested cockatoos in Sydney have learned to open trash bins — and the technique is catching on like a hot dance move. Researchers documented the technique in three suburbs of the city in early 2018, but it had spread to 44 suburbs by late 2019. Scientists analyzed videos of 160 wily birds lifting lids as well as the geographic spread of the skill to conclude that most birds learned by watching others. Cockatoos’ knack for social learning may be one of the traits that allow them to thrive in unpredictable or human-dominated environments. The research was published Thursday in the journal Science.
Crafty cockatoos master dumpster diving and teach each other
