Talk to the Animals - Science Nation

Most pet owners talk to their animals at one time or another, and some do every day. But how much do our pets actually understand? Is their perception anything like ours? These are the questions that fascinate Irene Pepperberg and she's looking for answers from the animals themselves, specifically -- African Grey Parrots. The Harvard University psychology professor is a bit like the character Dr. Doolittle because she's been talking to parrots for decades. With help from the National Science Foundation, she's researching how much the birds understand about shapes, numbers and colors. Her next phase of research involves how the parrots detect optical illusions, and whether they perceive them the way humans do. Her research will also reveal more about how a bird's vision works.
For more Science Nation:
Subscribe:
kzbin.info_c...
or
KZbin Playlist:
• Science Nation | NSF S...
or
www.nsf.gov/news/special_repor...
.

[@oklahomaisok]

My parakeets ask questions, make comments about what I'm doing. The female watches me go into the kitchen, asks what I'm cooking or if I pick up a plastic bottle she'll ask me what I'm drinking if she sees me looking at something ask me what I'm looking for. I have talked to my parakeets as if they were young children from the time I got them. Last winter I told her it was too cold to go outside & she scooted over to the other one and said "You have to stay in" relaying the message. Amazing

[@naurrr]

for those of you making assumptions about the conditions of these parrots: there are 3 in the lab, they are social with each other and get lots of attention from several grad students and the lab manager etc. they are given all the fruits and veggies they could want, they request specific treats and receive them as rewards, they hang out outside of their cages for 8-12 hours a day and don't just do tasks the entire time. they can end the trials whenever they want, in fact Alex used to purposefully give every answer but the right one just to mess with the people administering the tasks because he didn't feel like answering, or didn't want to work that day. like any test subject they are given plenty of opportunity to back out of their tests. if you guys googled this stuff or watched other videos and read about the Pepperberg lab and the history of the avian learning experiments, you will find sources for all of this. they're very happy birds and are waited on by practically human servants basically all day every day, and the work they're doing is astonishing. I hope Dr. Pepperberg continues her work!

[@danab172]

You say that they are given opportunity to choose. However, in the videos I have seen, Irene says "no" to everything Alex wants to do and brings him back to what she wants him to do instead.

[@julesmpc1314]

Rachel dear, then why are they plucking feathers? only emotially and mentally distressed birds do this, and why did they die sooo early out of stress? Labs are labs lol... WHY DONT YOU BECOME AN ANIMAL LAB? OF YOU THINK ITS SO GREAT? Live in a small cage all the time, leave several hours a day for repetitive tests onside a confined room with no window, never see the sun or anyone or anything but the tests...oh but you can eat fruits and vegetables....

[@ninifroggies6762]

These birds are depressed. I watched a video on Alex the parrot and he had to train 8-12 hours a day. That's really stressful for a bird, and as you can see the bird is plucking it's feathers out. A lab is a lab, and test animals are test animals. It makes me really sad to watch these videos because of all the feathers they are missing. I have two grays and watching this is heartbreaking

[@joshuaarmstrong2303]

I remember learning about Irene in college, in my animal studies class. She originally started with Alex, a bird of the same type, who she picked up at a pet store and started doing these tests with.

[@Disfiguring_DC]

Interesting that her first bird alex who was also very intelligent... also had the same problem as Griffin eventually develops, an apparent fungal infection. Its pretty amazing and she seems to treat them quite well, but it is obvious that the testing/learning must have an negative effect on them 😔

[@personaalityparrot]

I completely agree with you Pamela Kraemer. Breaks my heart!

[@Whoopsitsnia]

I've watched a lot of Pepperberg's videos, and it seems like almost all of her birds are self-plucking, which is a sign of depression. If these African Greys have the cognition (including emotional cognition) of a 5-year old, a metal cage will be emotionally detrimental to an animal who is meant to live in a 400-acre area. Something just doesn't seem right here

[@88osprey]

She rescues them. It's psychological issues from their previous owners... Those emotional issues have turned into behavioral issues and will probably be permanent.

[@Aethuviel]

It's not depression. Feather plucking is a complexp roblem that can have an enormous number of causes. Everything from boredom (which I very, very much doubt these birds are), loneliness (same there), bad diet, few showers, and of course I don't know where these birds came from before she got them - they could have bad experiences early in life and plucking is a very hard thing to quit.

[@quelorepario]

+Frida Nyberg it could be stress though, Dr Pepperberg has to repeat same tests over and over for statistical significance. In fact, she said that Alex (her previous parrot) usually got bored and often expressed that it wanted to go back to the cage.

[@user-qi4nh4hh9r]

+Frida Nyberg she got Griffin from a reputable breeder when he was 7.5 weeks old chick. That was in her book.

[@The_Primary_Axiom]

A bird is worse thing as pet, not because it's ugly or bad. On the contrary they are most beautiful. But birds have wings, they fly. How can we keep something that flies as a pet it's sad.

[@tractor666]

Big Question that everyone is asking ,WHY are the Birds Plucking ,Not a good sign,could be a fungal infection ,but most of the birds are plucking ,Not enough Fun and actual individual interaction and stimulation with the greys ,the learning process should be fun and the interaction process should be such that the parrot enjoys what it is doing and it will show it is enjoying it ,Its a lab and its a controlled environment ,more care needed when dealing with Greys.

[@alyceGoRound]

oweeh they still have Alex' bird cage in there... 😢

[@geoffmcnew5863]

Looks like Griffen has feather-plucked himself a LOT, which is common among older Africa Gray males. Our Emma (who's actually an Emmit) started doing it at age 30. Emma has a vocabulary larger than the average hip-hop/rap artist, but no arrest record/street cred. IF I could only get her to sing the commercial jingles you hear on TV ON COMMAND, I could make a FORTUNE!!! Emma sings them ALL the time...EXCEPT, when I ask her to on command....then, she just laughs at me and says, "F- off!" These parrots are a LOT smarter than you think.

[@jatelitherius9842]

Amazing

[@Octopussyist]

Did you ever write that directly to Dr. Pepperberg?

[@a.hijazi8984]

Griffin is really smart, but Alex is a little bit over rated because Griffin is smarter but Alex has a wider vocabulary. I named my African congo grey parrot alex because of Alex was really intelligent.

[@julesmpc1314]

Ahmad Hijazi some say he is not all that smarter....had a stronger will to get the hell put of there....lady I will do all you ask...can I get the fk out now? Once he realized he would never get even a bigger cage...he died.

[@bongit4204]

That bird looks stressed af

[@cheesenoodles8316]

Accurate....social skills 2 years....intelligence is 5 years. Glad to the synapse desinty mapped so high in parrots.

[@sven.w7098]

In Deutschland würde man uns nicht bewundern für so Federlose Papageien. Und hier gibt es noch Applaus.

[@AogNubJoshh]

No particular surprise. Communication has a massive evolutionary advantage.

[@khalilamiri3070]

I would like to buy an African grey. Would it be ok if I spend 3 hours a day with him 7 days a week. I have 2 year experience with macaw and I currently own a sun conure. One more question will the African grey be ok with my sun conure?

[@julesmpc1314]

Khalil Amiri for those unaware out there, as you know, birds are wild animals....not pets...not dogs that have been domesticated...hence are hard to handle they are not like pets wont learn to poop on the right time or place... Parrots live from 60 to 80 years, depending on the species (this one died early out of stress at age 43), they are high maintenance, a life time commitment, they are loud, cant be left alone need constant supervision and attention cause are social animals.... its like having a 3 year old baby ..for 60 years.

[@aplny]

I wonder how well we could do if tested by animals in their languages and sensory perception. Based on smell, night vision, or hearing, my dogs must think I'm not very bright. Why have these parrots picked out so many of their feathers?

[@Lambda_Ovine]

I think you're confused on how language works.

[@tallllus]

Looks like all of the parrots in the video have been plucking their feathers. Not a good sign..

[@karmillamessiah2289]

I've been told african greys tend to do that a lot

[@The_Primary_Axiom]

We would too if we had a huge Neanderthal that think they are smart take us out our environment and try to make us adapt to their unintelligent ways. haha

[@sydneymorgans8056]

+Greg Power first thing i noticed too; doesn't seem exactly like a happy bird. I'd rather my bird be happier than intelligent

[@Kaidona]

Yes, African greys are notorious for plucking. Alex was fully plumed until Dr. Pepperberg had to go away for three weeks. Then he plucked himself silly. From what I've heard from other bird parents and breeders, it's really difficult to keep your African grey from plucking, they seem to be prone to anxiety in particular and have been known to tear their feathers out even in the wild.

[@julesmpc1314]

Greg Power He died out a strange heart condition at an early age for his species... no animal testing at labs...he was always stuck at that shitty littly cage with little food

[@julesmpc1314]

No wonder he died soooo early, out of stress...check his feather problems.

[@MegaJUMIOR]

ARTIST ULISSES JUNIOR POET OF LOVE

[@The_Primary_Axiom]

I know why the caged bird sings.

[@SeventhLevelComedy]

You are a mean lady. Be nice to bird

[@NN-sj9fg]

What about ALEX?

[@geoffmcnew5863]

Alex passed away like most birds do...peacefully falling dead on the floor of the cage to be found in the morning.

[@katiekaliber]

Those birds look so sad :(

[@The_Primary_Axiom]

Of course. Whenever you take something out its environment there is a huge possibility of stress. you will never see a sad bird in the wild, you can't see a stressed out bird in nature. It's rare.

[@shadenfraud3212]

@@The_Primary_Axiom you can see many african greys that are tamed and they arent stressed

[@elcat4677]

Look at the way they're eyes get with intensity. Lmfao to have to use that kind of focus every 2 seconds. Maannn. Hell yeah they are stressed wtf

[@endezeichengrimm]

Planet of the Parrots?

[@damemi7159]

I understand that She wants to show that these birds have a kind of intelligence and She does a hard job, but what about them. Animals were not created to be testing and live far away from their habitats. Maybe Alex died so early because he was trained everyday for almost 30 years. Well I think that it shorted his life. 😢

[@lisalove272]

I've watched Alex who passed away at I believe age 30? He was a sad bird who constantly would say ,( I'm sorry go back) he got tired of the constant testing and would beg to go back to his cage. He was smart yes but wasn't treated as a beloved pet he was a test subject and by the way she talks one can tell she doesn't shown these bird's LOVE! If this is about teaching children who have mental issues then why not teach children? Why fill these bird's lives with this constant testing? To me it's cruel I'm not saying she abuses them but Alex looked the same way unhealthy. African greys are beautiful all her bird's looked sick and plucked! Those who say ohh these are rescued bird's this bird she's owned since he was a baby so all the plucking is done from stressful day's not be able to be a BIRD and happy! A little love goes a long way!! Alex died young he got sick most likely because he had no affection shown to him and was bored with the word ((WHAT MANNER))!!

[@mandomrix]

The circus music playing while she was talking win the first bit was hill-arious.

[@danab172]

why did he pluck his feathers?????? Was he stressed? It doesn't seem like she lets him do what he wants. Instead, she forces him to answer questions. And, none of the videos I am seeing are fun. She is not fun with him. YOu can teach a parrot while having fun and allowing them the control to do what they want. I cant even get into her book because its written more about her experience than observation and description of him. sadly.

[@Lambda_Ovine]

They are subjects of experiment, not pets. There are scientific results and money involved in this research, so the procedure should be one that yield the most results.

[@dudeivealreadydonethis5tim289]

I know that your comment is 5 years old but i share your feelings too Dana. I have loved hearing about how smart Alex was and the things he understood. But it crushed me seeing a video where he kept saying he wanted to go back and she kept telling him no you cant. It upsets me. these lessons and experiments showed humans how intelligent he is. He is intelligent enough and able to express how he feels and what he wishes to do and it is ignored. He's doing all these things the humans are asking of him, yet they can't honor what he asks of them in return. :-( It looks like he is plucking his feathers. That's not good. That means he is stressed out. He's not happy. It's too bad that this amazing thing, seeing how intelligent an animal is and being able to communicate with them, is kind of bittersweet and a little tainted because it was at the expense of Alex.

[@neutrino78x]

alex had hardened arteries. This was not discovered until after his death. Yes, they were testing for that, and everything came back normal up to the week of his death. "NPR states that the last words that Alex spoke to Pepperberg were "You be good. I love you." Pepperberg said that she loved him too (per USA Today). Alex then asked "You'll be in tomorrow" and Pepperberg said "Yes, I'll be in tomorrow." She described the loss as "devastating"; Pepperberg had been working with Alex for 30 years at that point. It was thought he would live to be 50. Even so, Alex proved that birds, and specifically parrots, are far more perceptive than what was previously believed." Source: article title (I can't put links) "The Loving Final Words Of The Einstein Of Parrots, Alex The Parrot", from "Grunge".

[@a.hijazi8984]

I am sorry DR Irene Pepperberg that you have been through a lot of trouble training your 3 african grey parrots.

[@Fetzi18]

@JustinDejong you deaf?

[@miramondal971]

If you say that the bird is sad ... Or that when does a corner become a shape then read this : birds grow new feathers and shed the feathers after a certain period and secondly , a bird has limited vocabulary sense and receives a single term from a general category which is really large. And you all are too much judgemental and that also to soon . ..... Hope to see you never!

[@Fetzi18]

@majinosity who cares? that's what they taught the bird to recognize and say, maybe he can't pronounce rectangle?

[@lisalove272]

Poor bird will join Alex soon.

[@sheangreenwood389]

because the damn parakeet never spoke of his complete sense like he is, just following the words that she taught him, he carries a line of teaching. But the one who talks the most and is worse than a parakeet is her. got damn

[@5alidal]

Woman: "What shape?" Bird: "Corner" Woman: "Goooood bird. You are a genius!" Me: "Am I missing something? Since when was corner a SHAPE?!?"

[@jatelitherius9842]

It's the way she taught it. Cornered shapes are all the same thing, the birds simply know the difference in the number of corners. Sure, we call squares squares, but when it comes down to it, we recognize them as "4 cornered shape"

[@majorkatzmann2240]

> Am I missing something? You're missing the fact that it is a bloody bird. They're using a simplified form of language in which all polygons are just called 'corner'.

[@Kaidona]

That's how the language is simplified. Instead of cluttering up their limited vocabulary with our many words for geometrical shapes--squares, triangles, rhombuses--they already have the words for numbers, so add in corner. For a triangle, it's "three-corner". For a square, it's "four-corner". The square was correctly identified as "corner" because it's not a circle, which is what the other shape was.

[@julesmpc1314]

5alidal Great, she proves the animal is as intelligent as 5 year old but has no problem torturing it...until it died at a very early age for its species....wonder why no

[@Lambda_Ovine]

Since you can't have a square without corners.

[@majinosity]

Since when is "corner" a shape?

[@neutrino78x]

they don't know for sure how many words the bird can recognize so they try to keep it simple. 4 corners = square/rectangle

[@cyrussataravalla6731]

Ma786sai For Gods sake start FIRST with the KEY thing of this beloved bird that matters MOST his feather self-mutilation. All else can wait. Cyrus

[@borjan121]

When the birds take over the world dont say i told you so.lol

[@Lambda_Ovine]

OK, I won't say you told us.