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Parrots are intelligent, and some species have been found to have the problem-solving skills of a young child. So if little kids can use technology in some capacity, why can’t parrots?
Researchers who aim to answer why parrots should use technology for cognitive enrichment aim to answer exactly how tablets could be improved for best use by the intelligent birds , according to a recent study in March.
By designing a balloon popping tablet game and collecting data from 20 pet parrots, the researchers found that the birds’ interest in the mental stimulation game could be a potential benefit. However, the anatomy of the critters was a barrier to interacting with the screens. Each parrot pops virtual balloons using its tongue and beak, often with its eyes very close to the screen. As a result, the bird would have to turn its head or withdraw to find the next target.
The findings establish a framework that researchers can use to design bird tablets, according to the study, which has been peer-reviewed ahead of an upcoming presentation in May at the CHI ACM (Society for Computing Machinery) conference on Human Factors in Computer Systems. , said lead author Rébecca Kleinberger.
“Many animals in managed care, in zoos, in homes, interact with technology on a daily basis. They see the screens we use. Sometimes they use some as toys,” said Kleinberger, assistant professor of humanities and voice technology at Northeastern University in Boston. “But very little research has been done on how technology affects animal experiences and how we might create better technologies to enrich animals.”
Kleinberger is the principal investigator of the INTERACT Animal Lab, a team of researchers studying how technology can enrich the lives of dogs, orcas and birds, according to a news release from Northeastern University. The team released a 2023 study that showed a group of parrots enjoyed making video calls with other feathered friends.
As long as a sitter is present, incorporating tablets into a parrot’s schedule may help the intelligent creature become more motivated, according to Irene Pepperberg, assistant research professor in the department of psychological and brain sciences at Boston University, who specializes in gray parrots.
“(Wild parrots) spend their days cracking nuts and sucking bark and interacting with all kinds of other birds in the flock. … They have very exciting days filled with many different things,” said Pepperberg, who was not involved in the new study. “And so what we want to do is provide some kind of enrichment for birds in captivity.”
A tablet designed with parrots in mind
Seventeen birds completed the study, which involved interacting with a touchscreen for no more than 30 minutes a day for three months. Two birds dropped out after a lack of interest in the tablet, and one bird showed signs of stress and anxiety. Keepers recorded their parrots at home, keeping them on a familiar schedule. The human study participants also played a part in praising and encouraging their creatures to stay engaged, Kleinberger said.
Some parrots were precise when tapping a target on the screen, while others seemed more involved in interacting with their keepers.
“The (games) were not used in isolation for the bird to do (themselves), but really, to reflect in the social context of their current interaction with their carers, and how it can the system also helps to strengthen the connection. between humans and animals,” Kleinberger said.
One way to improve tablet designs for birds is to use the camera on the device to better understand where the bird is and adjust accordingly, or to redesign the game layout while the parrot is close for the screen included so that the bird can. to see the targets better, said Kleinberger. Another improvement identified by the researchers solved the problem of birds taking advantage of one target often very quickly and apparently becoming frustrated. One bird showed more interest in playing the game after researchers adjusted the tablets to include one tap per 300 milliseconds, she said.
It’s not surprising that the birds could learn to follow a circle on a screen because of their higher capacity for intelligence, said Kurt Sladky, clinical professor of zoological medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine. Sladky was not involved in the new study.
“We see many birds that, for whatever reason, out of boredom, or out of sexual frustration, pick their feathers. … I think to prevent some of that boredom, I can see (playing games) being useful — they love sounds, they love music, they love looking at things,” Sladky said , which has feathers from patients who have shown interest in YouTube videos of other birds.
Mobile games for parrot enrichment
If a parrot owner wants to introduce tablets into a pet’s schedule, it’s important to remember that the activity should be cooperative between the owner and the bird, Pepperberg said. “But if you’re just leaving it in the cage, for the birds, it’s like leaving tablets for toddlers all day.”
Each bird will have its own likes and dislikes, which will favor one game over another, she said. Pet owners should watch their bird for signs of aggression and irritability while using the tablet while keeping birds on a schedule and not having them play with the tablet for long periods of time.
“When we look at how technology has changed human life, both good and bad, it’s amazing how much has changed in our lives in the last 100 years,” said Kleinberger. “Much of our research (looks at) providing animals with ethical, sustainable and meaningful enrichment (with technology) designed for their own well-being … rather than systems used to reduce the interaction we humans need . “
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