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They also have to be able to
interpret environmental cues and have a sense of seasonal timing to insure the
food is ripe and ready for the taking. Once the food is found, they
often have to be able to open and retrieve the food from within tough shells or
fruit pods.
Predator avoidance also requires heightened mental
awareness and finely tuned senses. Parrots have to be able to quickly
process visual and auditory data in order to escape being another animal's
dinner.
In general, the smarter an animal is, the more
likely they are to have a social nature. Participation within a
flock and
social interactions require a different set of abilities such as the ability to
recognize individual members of the flock, the ability to communicate,
play and participate in cooperative behaviors.
Contrast a parrot's natural existence with one in captivity where they sit behind bars most of
the day without the opportunity for exercise, interaction, or even "jobs" to do
and where once a day clean "fast food" and water is delivered. This scenario has
lead many birds to a very unhealthy and unhappy existence characterized by a
host of behavioral issues (screaming, feather destruction, aggressiveness).
Do you want a Brainiac or a Maniac?
The more intelligent a being is, the more
environmental and behavioral enrichment is requisite to their well-being.
Parrots have been described
as having the intellectual capacity of a 3-5 year old child. For more
information on the intellectual abilities of birds check out our article:
The Amazing
Bird Brain.
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