Clever Cockatoos Have Taught Themselves How To Open Rubbish Bins

Cockatoos are the new bin chickens after research revealed they can open rubbish bin lids by themselves.

Scientists from Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior in Germany have helped study the sulphur-crested cockatoo's ability to teach itself and others how to break into our bins to feast on leftovers.

It all started when a Sydney researcher noticed the iconic bird manoeuvring itself around the lid to pry it open without any help from others.

Ornithologist Richard Major, from the Australian Museum Research Institute, informed scientists half a world away and they started looking into how this incredible feat of animal intelligence was formed.

Back in 2018, they were able to identify three suburbs in Sydney that had cockatoos who could open the bins.

Less than 18 months later, that had grown to 44 suburbs.

The researching team discovered the birds have most likely learned from each other how to pull off the interesting feat.

In their report published to the journal Science, the team noted how animals with 'unpredictable food sources' have to adapt to the 'rapidly changing environment'. In these circumstances, some animals 'thrive' and open up new avenues for food retrieval.

Institute study senior author Lucy Aplin said in her report: "It was so exciting to observe such an ingenious and innovative way to access a food resource; we knew immediately that we had to systematically study this unique foraging behaviour.

"This suggests that if you're more socially connected, you have more opportunities to observe and acquire new behaviour - and also to spread it."

Their research has since identified that both young cockatoos and adults can learn the skill and that most of the birds who have mastered it were male.

Some birds would wait until one had done most of the heavy lifting before jumping in to join.

The researchers believe males dominated this skill because they tend to be heavier, dominant and stronger than females.

They also noted that males seemed to be territorial over the bins they selected as they would often see birds trying to shoo away competitors if they got too close.

Despite having a brain the size of a walnut, parrots (which include cockatoos) are considered to be among the cleverest birds.

It's due to the 'density of neurons packed into their forebrains' that accounts for this impressive intelligence.

Featured Image Credit: Barbara Klump/Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior

Topics: News, Animals, Australia

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

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