Bird Boogie

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Despite living in NYC, I was not at the World Science Festival last weekend, which totally bums me out, especially since Irene Pepperberg was there, speaking, and Snowball, a male Eleanora (medium sulfur-crested) cockatoo, Cacatua sulphurea eleonora, was there, dancing. This video shows Snowball's delightful performance -- which I missed!! [3:01]

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This is the first time I have seen Snowball dance with his owner in the picture. It raises the question of whether he only dances when the owner is providing visual cues or does he spontaneously dance without any cues when he hears the music.

Dancing when cued is just a party trick, dancing without cues indicates much more.

By Mike Owen (not verified) on 29 Jun 2009 #permalink

This is the first time I have seen Snowball dance with his owner in the picture. It raises the question of whether he only dances when the owner is providing visual cues or does he spontaneously dance without any cues when he hears the music.

Dancing when cued is just a party trick, dancing without cues indicates much more.

By Mike Owen (not verified) on 29 Jun 2009 #permalink

I love this bird. They need to give him his own show. (Hell, if Jenny McCarthy gets one ... why not?)

The truth is Snowball would spontaneously start dancing to Backstreet without knowing Irene or anyone was present ...that is what is so amazing and why science is studying this ..of course the idea of cues came up and it was quickly shown to be it was Snowball who needed no one but the music! Anyone with parrots already knows this as no big deal but it is only recently that neuro science is taking an interest at what those that live with these creatures have known all along.

By Angela Cancill… (not verified) on 30 Jun 2009 #permalink