Dueling Parrots

So probably only, like, 10 people will understand how cool this actually is, but I just had to upload it anyway. This obviously needs some sort of explanation for those unfamiliar with the Minnesota Zoo's birdshow. Koko tends to be a bit slow in response to her cues. In the silence of waiting for her reply, you could hear Alex, the other African Gray, backstage doing the sounds for her. So they thought it would be fun to bring both parrots out at the same time to see what would happen. Apparently seeing Alex right along side her made Koko lose some stagefright or something, because she starting twittering all over the place. And I love the fact they apparently never taught Alex to do the siren on cue, and yet he did it when asked. Nice impromptu display of parrot intelligence. Check out those hott dancing skillz, too! =P


The footage is a bit raw, but my attempt to insert "Dueling Banjos" as a soundtrack made it really hard to hear the quieter sounds. Maybe if I had panned back and forth between the two parrots as they went I could have made something really cool out of the footage. But alas, I kept it on Koko for most of the time as she was being the spontaneous one. And I apologize for the camera shake and giggling, I just couldn't help myself. XD


I'll put my other videos of these parrots as responses, just as some sort of reference point. And virtual cookies to those that actually read this novel of a video description. ;)

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• minnesota
• zoo
• mn
• birdshow
• african
• grey
• gray
• parrots
• bird
• animal
• intelligence

[TheSophera]

I love this! And I'm actually glad to see the raw footage - it helps those of us who aren't familiar with the setting to realise just how cool it is because of the people presenting being so shocked. :D

[blackXtulip]

cool

[WarlordRasmus]

awesome