A cockatoo's high intelligence has gained some unusual validation

Australian parrots have demonstrated exceptional social abilities by teaching each other how to open waste bins.

With urbanisation, many species of wild animals are being forced to interact with humans. In certain cases, they have even moved to our cities. A great example of this is the Australian cockatoo parrots who have taken over the streets of Sydney.

The birds drink from city fountains and forage for food from rubbish bins. Recently, the clever parrots have started to demonstrate to each other how to locate food. A study carried out by German ornithologists from the Max Planck Institute showed how cockatoo skills have altered over the past year.

Previously, it was found that only parrots from three different areas of Sydney could open bins. However, over a short period, cockatoos from all around the city have learned how to do this. This demonstrates the inclination of birds to share their knowledge with other birds, which signifies they are highly intelligent.