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Video
chatting is a technological feat that helps humans stay connected and fight
loneliness — something clearly demonstrated during the
COVID-19 pandemic. But could video calls help other pack animals socialize,
too? Scientists say yes, at least in the case of parrots.
In the wild, parrots tend to live in flocks, but they’re usually solo when
kept as pets. So researchers set out to see if they could connect the highly
intelligent birds to one another using video chat. They studied 18 pet
parrots in the United States over a three-month period, analyzing over
1,000 hours of video observations and notes taken by the
parrots’ owners.
And the resulting study,
presented earlier this week and titled “Birds of a Feather Video-Flock
Together,” showed that it worked: After caretakers taught their parrots how
to make calls, they “engaged more regularly in social behavior like preening, singing,
and play,” per a press release.
“Parrots who made the most calls also received more calls, suggesting that the study helped
the birds become more social,” the release continued. “Their
caretakers … also reported improved bonding with their pets.”
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