A new study of captive parrots provides evidence that the birds sometimes use specific names to refer to particular people or animals. Researchers analyzed hundreds of recordings and found patterns that suggest more than simple mimicry.
The research, published in the journal PLOS ONE, examined vocal recordings from more than 880 parrots kept as pets. Led by Lauryn Benedict of the University of Northern Colorado and Christine Dahlin of the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, along with colleagues from Austria, the team reviewed survey data from more than 889 birds.
Nearly half of participants provided examples of name use. Of 413 recordings that featured names, 88 showed parrots applying them as labels for specific individuals, including cases where a bird referred to someone not present.
Dahlin cautioned that the signals may not match human naming systems. "We cannot conclude that they are analogous to human names both because animals' signals are often so different and because we don't understand the full intent behind the signals," she said.
Some birds repeated their own names to gain attention, indicating flexible social uses. The work was supported in part by the Vienna Science and Technology Fund.
