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WEEKLY NEWS 2: Parrot Understands Zero

There's a bird that knows its math problems. A parrot has learned the concept of zero, a piece of knowledge that researchers say humans cannot learn until they are toddlers.

Alex is an African grey parrot, and the size of Alex’s brain is approximately the same size as a walnut. The African grey parrot is a medium-sized bird about 12-inches long. It is mostly the color grey with accents of white and a red tail. They usually eat nuts and fruits.

Alex, who lives in a laboratory in Brandeis University, Massachusetts, says “none” when a tray with no colored cubes in it is placed in front of him. These tests were performed repeatedly, and Alex consistently said there were no blocks.

Children don’t usually grasp the concept of zero until they are 3 or 4 years old, Brandeis researchers say.

Some researchers are suggesting that the results of this test are mounting evidence that animals and birds are smarter than people think. A 2003 study found that marsh birds, known as coots, are able to recognize and count their own eggs in the nest.

Other scientific tests and studies have discovered that the language of prairie dogs includes a word for humans. Moreover, scientists also believe that monkeys, dogs and rats know how to laugh. Monkeys also know the difference between the numbers 2 and 3 and can match the number of faces with the number of voices they hear. Some dogs can calculate which is the fastest way to get from one place to another.

--Written by Leah Williams

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