title: A novel form of spontaneous tool use displayed by several captive greater vasa parrots (Coracopsis vasa).
abstract: Parrots are frequently cited for their sophisticated problem-solving abilities, but cases of habitual tool use among psittacines are scarce. We report the first evidence, to our knowledge, of tool use by greater vasa parrots (Coracopsis vasa). Several members of a captive population spontaneously adopted a novel tool-using technique by using pebbles and date pits either (i) to scrape on the inner surface of seashells, subsequently licking the resulting calcium powder from the tool, or (ii) as a wedge to break off smaller pieces of the shell for ingestion. Tool use occurred most frequently just prior to the breeding season, during which time numerous instances of tool transfer were also documented. These observations provide new insights into the tool-using capabilities of parrots and highlight the greater vasa parrot as a species of interest for studies of physical cognition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK.
authors.forename: Megan L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lambert
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9JP, UK.
authors.forename: Amanda M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Seed
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK katie.slocombe@york.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Katie E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Slocombe
mesh_terms: D060105:Animal Shells / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010311:Parrots / Q000502:physiology*; D053001:Tool Use Behavior
keywords: object manipulation; parrot; physical cognition; tool use