Sydney’s Sulphur-Crested Cockatoos Blow Minds in 2025 by Learning to Use Public Drinking Fountains
Wild cockatoos in Sydney make headlines again, displaying stunning intelligence by operating park drinking fountains for a cool drink.
- 41% Success: Cockatoos opened drinking fountains almost half the time observed.
- Video Evidence: Motion cameras captured these clever birds in action across Sydney parks.
- Social Learners: Both male and female cockatoos adopting the new skill equally.
- Urban Innovators: First recorded wild parrots to display such behaviour worldwide.
Sydney’s sulphur-crested cockatoos are making headlines again, proving that creativity isn’t just for humans. After stunning scientists with their bin-raiding antics in recent years, these clever birds are now turning heads—and water handles—by quenching their thirst in the most surprising way: using public drinking fountains meant for people.
This new behaviour, uncovered by a powerful international collaboration led by the Max Planck Institute, Western Sydney University, Australian National University, and the University of Vienna, demonstrates just how rapidly animal intelligence can adapt to city life.
How Did Cockatoos Get So Smart?
Researchers set up wildlife cameras across Western Sydney’s parks and sports-fields and were amazed, as the motion-triggered footage showed flocks of cockatoos crowding around the bubbler. With calculated, coordinated moves, the birds learned to grasp—or even hang from—the fountain’s handle with one foot while turning the spout on and holding the valve with another.
Their unique style involved twisting handles clockwise and bracing themselves on the rubber spout, then ducking their heads to lap up the flowing water. Scientists observed that the right foot was the favourite for manipulating the mechanism—a subtle sign of bird “handedness.”
Unlike their bin-raiding (which favoured males), both male and female cockatoos showed equal skill at these water-based heists. Often, a queue of birds would patiently line up, waiting their turn for a refreshing sip at dawn or dusk.
Q&A: Why Are Cockatoos Picking Up Human Survival Hacks?
- Q: What motivates cockatoos to learn human tricks?
They’re highly intelligent, naturally curious, and thrive by experimenting with anything humans put in their way—food scraps, bins, and now, fountains. - Q: Is this unique to Australia?
Yes! This is the first documented case worldwide of wild parrots inventing their own “fountain-opening” culture. - Q: How do other birds learn this?
Social learning. The cleverest cockatoos teach their friends and family, and the habit quickly spreads across neighbourhood flocks.
How to Spot a Fountain-Using Cockatoo in Your Local Park
Head out at dawn or dusk, especially in Western Sydney reserves. Watch for sulphur-crested cockatoos perched on fences near water fountains. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch one balancing with both feet on the handle, twisting with remarkable dexterity, and sipping water with an almost human delight.
City wildlife is adapting faster than ever, putting their intelligence on full display and offering a front-row seat to a living experiment on innovation and survival.
For more on animal intelligence and breakthrough research, explore National Geographic or the international science journal Biology Letters.
What’s Next for Urban Parrots?
As cities heat up and water becomes precious, researchers predict that these fascinating innovations—like fountain use—will give urban wildlife an edge. This year’s findings open up new questions about what else clever creatures are testing in our midst, and how these city-living animal traditions will evolve.
See amazing footage of cockatoos in action:
Ready to Spot Sydney’s Genius Birds? Here’s What to Remember:
- Visit local parks and look for sulphur-crested cockatoos, especially in the early morning or late afternoon.
- Keep an eye on public drinking fountains—watch for clever birds turning handles and sharing drinks.
- Report unusual animal behaviour to local wildlife researchers if you notice something new!
- Stay curious! Urban wildlife is always evolving and has more surprises in store for 2025 and beyond.
Get outside, keep your camera ready, and witness this wild urban innovation firsthand—Sydney’s smart cockatoos are rewriting the animal rulebook!
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