Parrots Combat Loneliness Through Video Calls

A study has set up video calls between parrots allowing them to make friends and fulfill their social needs. The first-of-its-kind experiment was carried out over three months and featured 18 birds of various parrot species including African gray parrots, cockatiels, and macaws. The birds were organized into five different groups and were allowed to make calls to other birds in their group, with a maximum of two calls per three-hour session. The caretakers perceived the birds to enjoy the experience of having video calls with other birds, and some reported new behaviors from their pet participants including new flying behavior, calmer behaviors, and new foraging behaviors.