US EditionCockatoos know 30 distinct dance moves
AUSTRALIA, AUG 6 – Researchers identified 30 distinct dance moves in cockatoos across 10 species, with 17 newly described behaviors that may enhance captive birds' wellbeing through play and enrichment.
- On August 6, 2025, a team from Charles Sturt University, including Natasha Lubke, published findings showing that captive cockatoos possess a repertoire of at least 30 unique dance moves.
- The study emerged from analysis of 45 social media videos and observations of six cockatoos at Wagga Wagga Zoo, involving exposure to music, podcasts, or silence.
- The research showed dancing behavior in 10 of 21 cockatoo species, with 17 newly described moves, and indicated that dancing occurs regardless of auditory stimuli.
- Professor Rafael Freire highlighted that the close resemblance between parrots’ movements and human dance suggests these birds possess complex cognitive and emotional abilities, and he proposed that exposing parrots to music could contribute positively to their well-being.
- The findings imply cockatoo dance may originate from courtship behavior redirected toward humans, and further research should explore if dancing provides enrichment or welfare benefits.
64 Articles
64 Articles
The parrots are sensual, pious and very lovers of music. It has aroused surprise but also so much curiosity an Australian research that has studied unique dance steps of some species of birds. The researchers hope that the discovery can lead to new ways of making birds in captivity look good, in particular the intelligent parrots that can suffer in environments without stimuli. The researchers of the Charles Sturt University of Melbourne have an…
Dancing cockatoos more common than previous thought
A group of Little Corellas (Cacatua sanguinea), a species of white cockatoo native to Australia and southern New Guinea, perch on a suburban TV antenna. Credit: Lea Scaddan / Moment / Getty Images Plus. A new study shows cockatoos in captivity dance more often than expected, with the birds pulling out moves like the “body roll” and the “moving jump”. The researchers observed cockatoos showing off a total of 30 distinct dance moves. Some stylish …
The Bright Side: Cockatoos have at least 30 distinct dance moves, Australian researchers find
Australia's famously cheeky cockatoos can perform at least 30 distinct dance moves, researchers found, with documented dances ranging from headbanging and body rolls to a deceptively simple sidestep.
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