Male palm cockatoos drum on trees to woo mates
Christina N. Zdenek, BSc. MSc.
Male palm cockatoos tap out rhythms on trees to attract potential mates, and each bird has its own unique design of drumsticks.
Palm cockatoos (Probosciger aterrimus) are the only species, other than humans, known to create tools for making rhythmic sounds. In northern Australia, male palm cockatoos have been observed using seed pods or small branches in their feet to tap against trees during their drumming displays.
Robert Heinsohn, from the Australian National University in Canberra, says, “What you’re looking at is totally unique in the animal world, and very similar to what we see in humans.”
Researchers collected 256 drumming tools from 70 trees in Kutini-Payamu National Park in Queensland, where the cockatoos tend to throw away their drumsticks after their displays. Around 89% of the tools were made from small branches, indicating a preference for branches over seed pods. Some birds used both types of tools.
A detailed analysis of sticks made by 12 males revealed that each cockatoo had its own preferences for drumstick designs. The birds would pick up or snap off a branch and carve it with their beaks to create their desired drumstick. Heinsohn states, “They were very consistent in their design. Some like them long and skinny, while others prefer them short and fat.”
There was no evidence of cockatoos copying each other’s designs. It is believed that the birds learn what makes a good drumstick from their fathers.
Christina Zdenek, from the University of Queensland, Australia, says, “Palm cockatoos are intellectually very interesting. This shows that each bird is an individual with its own independent thoughts. The level of cognition required to make these decisions and develop these habits demonstrates a high degree of intelligence.”
