Parrots have the ability to weigh risks to make decisions

Scientists have discovered that parrots are capable of assessing risks, the probable probabilities that help them make the right choice. Research has provided the first important evidence that this thinking skill exists in an animal other than humans.

In previous studies, African gray parrots were found to have behaviors that help people to complete their work 'forgetfully' and seem capable of determining color and quantity. The cockatoo has the ability to position objects, even hidden objects, and has been discovered to be able to make dances by itself.

And recently, the Kea parrot , a threatened species living in New Zealand and the only alpine species in the world , has the ability to consider and consider the steps when making a decision.

Kea parrot (Source: Murdo MacLeod / The Guardian)

Although it is likely that this can be found in some other birds as well as some species of monkeys, the scientists behind the study confirm that this is the first time this ability has been clearly demonstrated. Apparently in species other than humans.

In particular, these birds can take advantage of many sources of information to make decisions on which choices are beneficial to them.

Amalia Bastos, author of the study from the University of Auckland, said: 'Human intelligence is inclusive, that is, people can synthesize many different types of information - social, physical, arithmetic, . to make a decision. ' She adds: In the past, it was unclear whether animals other than humans could do this - or limited to the use of a single type of information at the same time, i.e. they are only good at solving one type of problem. This may be because birds and humans shared a common ancestor more than 300 million years ago.

In this study, scientists first trained parrots to associate black coins with 'delicious food' and orange coins with 'no reward at all'. And one by one, they will be placed in front of two transparent jars containing these coins.

In the first study, the two vials contained the same number of coins, of which: one containing almost all black coins and the other containing almost all red coins.

Each will be made 20 times to select which jars they prefer. As a result, all of the 20 times chose the jars containing most of the black coins.

In the next study, people poured into 2 transparent jars an equal number of black coins, however, the number of red coins was different. And the results showed that this time the 4 children selected vials with a higher ratio of black amount than the red coin.

Batos came to the conclusion: ' This proves, at least, a kind of parrot - parrot possesses flexible and inclusive intelligence, similar to human intelligence'.

Alex Taylor, also co-author of the research from the University of Auckland, said that the finding could be useful not only for biology knowledge but also for the field of artificial intelligence.

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