Cockatoos Drink from Water Fountains in Western Sydney

In western Sydney, Australia, sulfur-crested cockatoos have learnt a new skill: drinking from water fountains. In the last few weeks, scientists are noticing that these sulfur-crested cockatoos in the suburbs of Sydney are learning to operate and then drink from these complex devices. Experts aren’t sure why, but suggest that it’s fun for the birds.

These cockatoos were first observed drinking from fountains in 2018. At first, some scientists suggested that they perhaps used it when the creek dried out in summer, but it was soon obvious that wasn’t the case. There was evidence that the birds used the fountains at similar times of day, and used it regularly instead of as an emergency supply. This shows that the birds have probably gotten used to his method of drinking.

However, that doesn’t mean it was easy to drink from them. Humans can drink from water fountains by using one hand to push the button or turn the handle, but it is actually a lot harder for animals of a cockatoo’s size to drink from water fountains. “Some 70 percent of the tagged birds tried using the bubblers, a hint they had probably been engaging in the behavior for some time. But less than half of the cockatoos were successful, suggesting the activity requires a complex sequence of motor skills that are tricky to master,” said New York Times reporter Gemma Conroy.

This isn’t the first time that the clever birds have figured out how to use human devices for their benefit. “Dr. Klump and her colleagues have also tracked the birds flipping open garbage bins across greater Sydney, a socially learned behavior that has resulted in an arms race (or maybe a wing race) with human residents,” Gemma Conroy said further.

The skill of drinking from water fountains isn’t limited to Sydney. In Brisbane, the cockatoos have also been known to drink from water fountains, and since cockatoos don’t migrate, scientists think that the cockatoos of Brisbane have developed the skill separately.

This newfound skill shows the cockatoos’ high intelligence, their ability to solve puzzles, and their communication skills, showing how deftly they are able to learn from each other.

Source

Conroy, Gemma “Clever Cockatoos Have Figured Out How to Drink From Water Fountains,” New York Times, June 3, 2025, www.nytimes.com/2025/06/03/science/cockatoos-water-fountains-sydney-australia.h

Yeung, Jessie “These clever birds can open trash cans and drink from water fountains,” CNN New, June 5, 2025, www.cnn.com/2025/06/05/australia/australia-cockatoos-study-water-fountains-intl-hnk