Thinking like a parrot : perspectives from the wild / Alan B. Bond and Judy Diamond.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Bond, Alan B., 1946- author.

Diamond, Judy, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Parrots.

Parrots--Behavior.

Cognition in animals.

Emotions in animals.

Social behavior in animals.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (298 pages)

Place of Publication:

Chicago ; London : The University of Chicago Press, [2019]

Summary:

People form enduring emotional bonds with other animal species, such as dogs, cats, and horses. For the most part, these are domesticated animals, with one notable exception: many people form close and supportive relationships with parrots, even though these amusing and curious birds remain thoroughly wild creatures. What enables this unique group of animals to form social bonds with people, and what does this mean for their survival? In Thinking like a Parrot, Alan B. Bond and Judy Diamond look beyond much of the standard work on captive parrots to the mischievous, inquisitive, and astonishingly vocal parrots of the wild. Focusing on the psychology and ecology of wild parrots, Bond and Diamond document their distinctive social behavior, sophisticated cognition, and extraordinary vocal abilities. Also included are short vignettes—field notes on the natural history and behavior of both rare and widely distributed species, from the neotropical crimson-fronted parakeet to New Zealand’s flightless, ground-dwelling kākāpō. This composite approach makes clear that the behavior of captive parrots is grounded in the birds’ wild ecology and evolution, revealing that parrots’ ability to bond with people is an evolutionary accident, a by-product of the intense sociality and flexible behavior that characterize their lives. Despite their adaptability and intelligence, however, nearly all large parrot species are rare, threatened, or endangered. To successfully manage and restore these wild populations, Bond and Diamond argue, we must develop a fuller understanding of their biology and the complex set of ecological and behavioral traits that has led to their vulnerability. Spanning the global distribution of parrot species, Thinking like a Parrot is rich with surprising insights into parrot intelligence, flexibility, and—even in the face of threats—resilience.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

Preface

1. Rainbow Lorikeet

2. Evolution

3. Brain and Sensory Systems

4. Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo

5. Expression and Response

6. Play

7. Crimson-Fronted Parakeet

8. Relationships

9. Vocal Communication

10. Kākā

11. Cognition in the Wild

12. Intelligence

13. Rose-Ringed Parakeet

14. Expansion

15. Kākāpō

16. Contraction and Collapse

17. Captain Flint Meets Polynesia

Acknowledgments

Appendix A. Common and Scientific Names of Parrot Species Mentioned in the Text

Appendix B. Analysis Methods for Brain Volume and Body Mass in Parrots and Corvids

Appendix C. Comparisons of Form and Frequency of Play Behavior in Keas, Kākās, and Kākāpōs

Appendix D. Kea Social Network Analysis

Appendix E. Kea Vocalizations

Appendix F. Kākā Vocalizations and Dialect Methods

Appendix G. Conservation Status of Parrot Species Mentioned in the Text

Notes

References

Index

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9780226248813

022624881X

OCLC:

1198929051