Clever Cockatoos Baffle Scientists by Mastering Urban Water Fountains in Sydney Parks—Are These Parrots the World’s Brightest City Birds?
Sydney’s sulfur-crested cockatoos crack the code of city fountains, quenching their thirst with clever teamwork—and sparking a new urban bird trend.
- 41% — Success rate of cockatoos using water fountains for a drink
- 0 — Gender difference in new found fountain skills (both males & females participate)
- First-ever — Documented case of wild parrots learning to operate drinking fountains
- 2025 — Year scientists confirmed this remarkable urban adaptation
Sydney’s famous, cheeky cockatoos have stunned scientists again. Known for raiding garbage bins, these sulfur-crested parrots have now learned to use public drinking fountains—and they’re spreading this clever hack through their ranks.
Researchers from the Max Planck Institute, University of Vienna, Western Sydney University, and Australian National University teamed up to reveal this urban innovation. Wildlife cameras across Western Sydney’s parks captured the birds’ methodical technique as they turned, twisted, and teetered on water fountain handles for a refreshing sip.
How Are Cockatoos Opening Drinking Fountains?
The researchers’ footage unveiled a dazzling display of teamwork and dexterity. A cockatoo would hop onto a fountain, plant its right foot on the twist-handle or valve, and grip the spout with the other. Then, using its body weight, it would push or twist the handle while craning its neck to drink—repeating this feat at dawn and dusk, the busiest times for parched parrots.
Fascinatingly, scientists watched as queues of cockatoos formed, each bird eagerly awaiting its turn. The behaviour wasn’t just a one-off—these birds successfully turned on the water and drank nearly half the times they tried.
Q: Is This Innovation Spreading Among Sydney Cockatoos?
Absolutely. The fountain-hacking trick appears to be a new urban tradition, rapidly picked up throughout Western Sydney’s cockatoo population. Unlike previous bin-foraging behaviour—which mostly males dominated—this time both male and female birds embraced the fountain-foraging fun.
How Do Cockatoos Learn These Urban Survival Skills?
The study highlights the superpower of social learning in these parrots. Cockatoos are renowned for their intelligence and curiosity, traits that thrive in bustling urban environments. When one bird discovers a new trick, others keenly watch and copy. Soon, innovative skills like opening bins—and now, twisting fountain handles—take hold across entire neighbourhood flocks.
With every clever adaptation, Sydney’s cockatoos further cement their place as some of the most resourceful city wildlife in the world. Their problem-solving prowess and love of invention echo the adaptability of other urban species studied by researchers at institutions like the National Geographic and BBC.
Q: Why Does This Matter for Urban Wildlife Research in 2025?
As climate change and habitat loss pressure animal populations worldwide, understanding how city animals adapt is more relevant than ever. Sydney’s fountain-hacking cockatoos demonstrate the quick-witted strategies wildlife use to survive in concrete jungles, providing scientists with fresh insight into animal intelligence and resilience.
How You Can Spot Cockatoo Genius in Action
- Visit major parks in Western Sydney at dawn or dusk.
- Look for groups of sulfur-crested cockatoos near public water fountains.
- Watch quietly as they take turns operating the handle and drinking—patience reveals their clever behaviour!
- Share your sightings or footage with local wildlife researchers to support ongoing studies.
Be part of the discovery! Next time you see a cockatoo in the park, watch for their genius in action—and help scientists by reporting your sightings.
Urban Cockatoo Innovation Checklist:
- [ ] Observe cockatoos in urban parks and reserves
- [ ] Note fountain-operating or other unusual behaviours
- [ ] Share your findings with local conservation groups
- [ ] Support urban habitat initiatives to help wildlife thrive
