The parrot species that caused a fever, knows how to line up and open the water fountain by itself!

A sulphur-crested cockatoo in Sydney has stunned the online community by lining up and turning on public water taps to drink, a behavior that leaves everyone in awe.

Lucy Aplin, an ecologist at the Australian National University, and colleagues recently published research on the unique behavior of sulphur-crested cockatoos (Cacatua galerita) and their relationship to urban environments. Photo: Klump et al. 2025.

Specifically, the research team observed and collected data on sulphur-crested cockatoos at a park in Sydney, Australia. They were surprised by their incredible intelligence. Photo: chris jd/Flickr.

The team of experts recorded a unique behavior that sulphur-crested cockatoos regularly perform. That is, they line up at public water fountains and use their feet and beaks to turn on the taps so they can drink to satisfy their thirst. Photo: S. Baker/Flickr.

The sulphur-crested cockatoo’s behavior requires complex coordination and dexterity. The cockatoos initially use one paw to hold the water spout, then use their beak and other paw to turn the handle. Photo: Andrew Darby.

To create enough pressure to compress the spring inside and get the water to flow out, the sulphur-crested cockatoo deliberately tilts its entire body to one side before turning back to drink the cool stream. Photo: Ben Rushton.

The team came to this conclusion after tagging 24 sulphur-crested cockatoos – representing about a fifth of the local population – and monitoring their behaviour. Photo: incidentalnaturalist.

Over 44 days of observation, sulphur-crested cockatoos made 525 uses of public water fountains. Of these, 105 were by 17 of the 24 tagged sulphur-crested cockatoos. Photo: incidentalnaturalist.

This shows that about 70% of the local sulphur-crested cockatoos attempted to use the public water tap. Only 41% of the sulphur-crested cockatoos successfully opened the tap and drank water. Photo: incidentalnaturalist.

Additionally, researchers also recorded lines of more than 10 sulphur-crested cockatoos waiting their turn to use public water fountains. Some of the cockatoos were quite patient as they often lined up neatly, even waiting for their turn for about 10 minutes. Photo: incidentalnaturalist.

In their natural environment, sulphur-crested cockatoos drink from ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, or from tree holes near their roosts. The fact that they use public water fountains instead of “traditional” water sources has left experts puzzled. Photo: incidentalnaturalist.

Readers are invited to watch the video : Discovering many new species in the Mekong River Region. Source: THĐT1.

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/loai-vet-gay-sot-biet-xep-hang-tu-mo-voi-nuoc-uong-post1545836.html