Scientists have discovered that YouTube sensation Snowball the dancing cockatoo boasts sophisticated brain function thought to originally be exclusive to humans. They analyzed a new set of videos and determined that the famous bird, who resides at a bird sanctuary in Indianna, is also capable of creativity and spontaneity on a whim. In other words, he taught himself to perform as many as 14 different moves, none that were taught to him, according to his owner. Read more for two analysis videos and additional information.
Snowball has been grooving ever since being dropped off at the Bird Lovers Only Rescue in Indiana in 2007, since its previous owner had grown older and could no longer care for the animal. Cognitive neuroscientist R. Joanne Jao Keehn studied Snowball’s movements down frame by frame and categorized them into distinct moves. The scientists realized that while the bird had several moves that it performed, he usually only did each one for three to four seconds at a time.
