Parrot intelligence - proofs with videos

Parrot intelligence – proofs with videos

In all media we regularly hear about intellectual performances of animals. Especially monkeys, dolphins, dogs, crows and parrots astonish particularly with cognitive abilities.

It is however strange that science considers little these results or on the contrary estimates them as very spectacular or at the same time criticizes them as scientifically not convincing. Why this disagreement in a sector, which employs thousands of researchers and concerns more or less millions of animal owners? It seems that clear proofs for animal intelligence are inaccessible or apparent missing.

Unusual intelligence achievements are well-known, but rarely someone saw them. Always the same films and reports are shown of many current “animal genius”. A famous high-intelligent African grey parrot presents in the laboratory continuously the same short extracts of its repertory and the gorilla with IQ 90, which communicates with sign language, keeps its secrets for itself.

There are however exceptions: for example the intelligent Border Collie Rico, which shows its abilities live in TV. Exactly as Mark Steigers parrots, which let themselves be tested regularly in dozens of public demonstrations and television broadcasts. Or the African Grey Parrot Lora Eston!

“About 35 years ago I saw in the Sarrasani Circus the act of the African Grey Lora Eston and its trainer. This show had convinced me more than all legends on speech talented and intelligent parrots.” explains Mark Steiger. “I try to persuade the spectators exactly the same of the true capacities of my birds.”

All the studies and results accessible to the public about animal intelligence in the whole world are based on very few experiments on famous animals during the period of the last hundred years. They are generally documentaries filmed in laboratories, of which nobody knows with what effort and under which circumstances they were produced. Sometimes there exist even only descriptions or photographs. “Regularly I receive requests for demonstrations, TV-shows and reports” tells Mark Steiger. “The public, the scientists and TV-producers know the lack of strong evidence for animal intelligence and consequently contact me therefore . My parrots show live and really the performances that I announce - without exaggeration or understatement!”

The following six videos show intelligence achievements of Mark Steigers parrots. When passing with the mouse pointer over the video titles you’ll receive an exact description, after a mouse-click the video appears a few seconds later.

Parrots recognize colours, shapes and numbers up to six. They understand certain mechanisms; they memorize colours of objects and they act logically (correction of errors) - what Mark Steiger shows in its presentations.

“I am convinced that we could obtain even better results with longer exercise. For example in the number test it would probably be possible to go up to seven or eight points instead of limiting at six” says Mark Steiger”. “However it is more important to constantly consider the well-being of the animals. It would be at the same time a clear proof of ignorance and human stupidity to let parrots suffer just to prove their intelligence with records".

Certain smaller species (African grey, amazons) have the capacity to imitate very precisely voices and noises and to associate words and sentences with objects and events. Unfortunately macaws and cockatoos are not very talented talkers.

The speaking of parrots has nothing (or very few) to do with intelligence. It is however fascinating for the spectator and helps for the realisation of certain tests (e.g. number test; an exact explanation you will find under “recognizing numbers”).

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The videos you can see here, originate from television broadcasts, documentary films or are private recordings. All tests show average achievements of the parrots and can be repeated at will.

All other videos were recorded in one take; they are thus no assemblies from several recordings.

The number test in Mark Steiger’s garden has been filmed only once, too.

The parrot recognizes quantities up to 6.

The spectator places freely up to 6 magnetized points on a small black panel. The panel is suspended in front of the parrot and this one selects the number corresponding on a table with a choice of six possibilities.

Without any doubt there is no “Clever Hans Effect”, at which the animal interprets and acts according to the behaviour of the trainer or the spectators.

The video shows how the hyacinth macaw Luna recognizes the quantity of points on a suspended board and raises on a table the equivalent number.

Mark Steiger is convinced that the parrot can neither count nor calculate, but that it recognizes the quantity with an estimate: “If one cannot count (e.g. if the objects to be counted move continuously, like flying birds), one tries to estimate the quantity. The larger the number of objects to be estimated is, the more the estimate becomes difficult. Therefore I do not go beyond 6 points, because it becomes probably too inaccurate”.

“I do not pretend that a bird could not learn how to count or calculate, however the problem of communication between parrot and humans should be solved before. I am unfortunately not able to explain arithmetic to a parrot”.

The proof for the recognition of numbers is more easily realizable with a talking parrot! The hyacinth macaw Luna which shows this test must seek the number of points in a choice of six possibilities. This means it must recognize twice the correct number to be able to compare: once on the suspended panel and then on the table. For a talking parrot it is simpler: it associates the number of points with the learned word. Hyacinth macaws speak little and the words are hardly to be understood.

Information:

Mark Steiger

Villa "Le Tour du Monde"

9, rue de Cannes

06150 Cannes (FRANCE)

Phone: 0033-(0)4 93 47 59 07

Mobile: 0033-(0)6 09 84 05 07

MarkSteiger@ParrotShow.biz