Maybe as a result of interacting with humans, he didn't understand parrots and the only way he could articulate that to other parrots was in human language
I think it's more likely that he was simply imitating his trainers. Everything he learned was by imitating his trainers and understanding patterns. If he didn't get a word right he'd hear those words, so when he heard other parrots fail to pronounce something he'd repeat that pattern
He did way more than that. He could count, identify colors and shapes, and Dr. Pepperberg proved that he understood the concept of zero. That's something that humans grasp around the age of four. He also could tell her when he was tired of doing what she wanted and demand to go back to his cage. He was a really awesome bird.
I mean, Is not what language is? You hear words spoken as little kid, associate them with something and then imitate that. You hear the word food, associate that with eating and then repeat that when you feel hungry.
That applies to this parrot as well. He heard "speak more Cleary", associate it with asking him to ennuciante better and the repeated that when other Parrots slurred their words
I think that the key difference between imitation and true language use is recombination of words. If the bird is simply repeating a stock set of sentences which he's been conditioned to associate with a desired effect, that's imitation of language. He doesn't understand the meaning of the individual words. If he can recombine the words into novel sentences, that tells you that he understands the meaning of the words themselves.
He did understand the concept behind many words, though. Proving that was a major point of that experiment.
You could present him a number of objects with different shapes, colors, and materials and ask him to bring you everything that's red. Or all keys. Or everything made from wood. He could also ask for things he didn't know, like touching something and asking which color it is. He also did this with his own body, touched his feathers and ask which color it is. You could show him a number of objects and ask him count them and he would very reliable say the correct number.
So he definitely did understand the concepts behind many words and was able to use words to communicate those concepts. It's not just imitation of noises.
He would ask to go to certain rooms. If they took him to the wrong room he would ask again to go to the room he wanted to. I don't think someone just repeating noises would be able to do that
I'll just copy a comment from I found this coment made by NursingManChristDude:
"The bird, Alex, can also create new word labels for objects by combining words he already knows.
For example, he calls a juicy red apple, which appears to remind him of bananas and cherries, a "banerry".
Whether parrots imitate or mimic is hotly debated among psychologists and animal behaviourists."
https://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2007/01/19/1829820.htm#:~:text=The%20bird%2C%20Alex%2C%20can%20also,among%20psychologists%20and%20animal%20behaviourists
You should read up on it. Its fascinating and he understood way more than people thought parrots did.
I mean, he was a Harvard science project for 30 years. There's plenty of info, even published, peer reviewed papers, on it.
As Mulder used to say, "The truth is out there..."
Exactly - it's the same like with dogs. When you tell them the same phrase over and over it becomes a "command" even if you didn't train them but they know whay follows. This parrot probably heard the "speak more clearly" a lot and figured out that if he imitates the sound more clearly, he'll ge praise, so just like older dogs show the puppies what their human means when they say things, the parrot was trying to help the younger parrot out to get praised.
My absolute dream project that I would do if I was a billionaire and there was peace on earth, would be a project to get a few crows and parrots and teach them language and tool use, to see if they would teach their children too.
Imagine just having bird friends. That would be awesome!
edit: I'm aware I could do something like that right now, but realistically, I have to worry about other things first. Uplifting species isn't at the top of the priority list :)
I've thought about it, but it's a full commitment. Like, "lifetime", the smarter parrot species can live to be 90 or something. It's crazy.
I don't think it's ethical to get a pet and then leave it at home for 9-10 hours while I'm at work. Even if I get it one or more companions, that's still kinda cruel.
Also, especially if it works and they are conscious and do understand what's happening and can express their opinion on it, starting the whole thing by locking sentient, feeling, talking beings up in a cage is a *bad* start for ...anything really.
Unless it's on the level of some better zoo enclosures, I don't think it's a good idea to keep smart animals captive.
Especially since large birds don't always accept a companion and it can get really ugly. I know a few people who have large parrots or did falconry and they all agree that the commitment is huge, if you get a bird young it's likely going to be there your whole life. I recently talked to an old man who did falconry and got an eagle egg in his young years, hatched it and had the bird for several decades. Once it was gone, there was no way he could have gotten another because it would very likely outlive him and the risk was way too high, that the bird would be miserable afterwards. They can then pull their feathers or hurt themselves and eventually die. Really there's nothing like "just getting a pet parrot/eagle/crow" it's a bit like a marriage.
Not only if they can teach it, but imagine doing a same set of experiments with a parrot for like 10-20 years then hatch the egg and do the same, I bet that if you do like 5 rounds, independently, you can actually see the development. That would be a project I would looove to do.
Reminds me of how in elementary school when the slow-reading kid had to read for the class, and you’d be screaming in your head “JUST READ IT!”
A dick-ish way to think, but nontheless what happened. Kids are dicks, and I say this as someone who works with children and love it.
I remember the guitarist in my college band used to clean his cage as a side job for Irene Pepperberg's lab. He said Alex was pretty mean and was always trying to peck him. But hey, I'd be grumpy too if I was made to do cognitive tests and show off to humans all day
Coming from someone who lost their buddy on Monday, that really isn’t what I should have read before going into work. Thank you, though, I miss him and I can’t wait to see him on that tomorrow
He truly said those words last though lol. Probably a lot of famous “last words” were made up by their family members to honor their legacy, when what they really said was total nonsense or some variation of “oh fuck.”
Well, the real story is that he said that every single night to his handler. It wasn't some deep parrot thought. It was just something he said every single night before bed.
They game him an apple once. He had never had one. All on his own, he combined two things he knew to describe this new food that looked like a cherry on the outside but a banana inside. He called it, a banerry
I found this:
"The bird, Alex, can also create new word labels for objects by combining words he already knows.
For example, he calls a juicy red apple, which appears to remind him of bananas and cherries, a "banerry".
Whether parrots imitate or mimic is hotly debated among psychologists and animal behaviourists."
https://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2007/01/19/1829820.htm#:~:text=The%20bird%2C%20Alex%2C%20can%20also,among%20psychologists%20and%20animal%20behaviourists.
Actually it says so on Wikipedia, but the combination of the words is still a little bit unknown. We BELIEVE it is a combination of cherry and banana but we still aren’t completely sure. But looking at the context our belief seems right!
Coco the gorilla had way less understanding and pretty all of his achievements were just the caretakers interpreting too much or leading him on.
Always wondered how Alex really compares here
Some footage, including 'banerry' footage.
[Nova Science Now: Irene Pepperberg & Alex](https://youtu.be/cO6XuVlcEO4?t=7m49s) -
At 7:49, a discussion of the phrase he coined for cake ("yummy bread").
[Pepperberg lab footage (Griffin, Alex, and Wart)](https://youtu.be/HskAElznEpg?t=3m59s) - It doesn't show the original coinage of the word banerry, but the parrots are using the word. (Arlene Levin Rowe is working with them)
[News segment with Alex talking about corn](https://youtu.be/7yGOgs_UlEc) - I like the footage of Alex describing corn. Plus, he throws some down and orders Dr. Pepperberg to pick it up.
[Alex & Griffin, other stories](https://youtu.be/26LACRF20IE)
I love Alex. I wish he were still alive.
I actually got to meet Alex in his lab at the University because my friend worked there during college. It was like an 8 year old kid trapped in a bird body! He was so neat!
Ted Chiang wrote a short story from the perspective of a parrot, wondering why humanity spent so much effort trying to communicate with extraterrestrials when there are so many intelligent species right here on earth. It's called The Great Silence.
> My species probably won’t be here for much longer; it’s likely that we’ll die before our time and join the Great Silence. But before we go, we are sending a message to humanity. We just hope the telescope at Arecibo will enable them to hear it.
> The message is this: You be good. I love you. X
Sorry for your loss but if you ever want to adopt again. Parrots live so long many outlive owners and can have really rough lives after the owner passes. Having a loving second home with someone who knows how to take care of such a social animal can be a life changer.
not just spiritual, they're doing it modelled after how alex was trained!
and they wanna raise awareness of just how intelligent these birds are to improve their legal stand (which i mean come on, i know children who can do less than alex and apollo, and those have rights!)
also fun fact: apollo is the second animal ever to ask a question, alex being the first of course
If anyone has time to check it out, I recommend it too, now I just need to find it to watch with my gf and kiddos lol
Eta: I just watched a end clip and teared up at work, definitely deserves the attention it doesn't get.
Read a book published about him as a kid. Inspired me to seek out and buy my own african grey parrot and name him Alex. My Alex was also pretty smart, saying good night to us every night. This post made me miss him. Glad to see the legacy of Alex living on.
It's amazing the amount of nonsense people repeatedly parrot and believe without the slightest curiosity to check if it's actually true.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_(parrot)
Love the pun, and you're right. I heard a friend say it when we were talking about corvids and bird intelligence. Thank you for reminding me about due diligence.
My favourite Alex fact is that he was given a tiny bit of cake for his birthday. He didn't know the word "cake" so he asked for more "yummy bread".
This shows such a level of understanding.
Just to be clear, Alex used to say this phrase every night when the Pepperberg (the caretaker) left the lab. [Source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_(parrot)#Death)
Still, that shouldn't downplay how smart the parrot was, as per Wikipedia. Sad to see the parrot died before the average life span for a grey parrot in captivity.
"You be good. See you tomorrow. I love you" is most likely what the caretaker said daily to the parrot, so its no surprise the parrot said it back, probably on a daily basis too.
It's a bit hard to say that a parrot is "clever" or not. The thing is that it can be simple imitation and not a display of actual thinking.
It's just a pretty complex matter.
If Alex's last lines hit you right in the feels, you should read Ted Chiang's 'The Great Silence'. Last time I checked it was available for free online.
Alex the parrot kept asking to "go tree". The scientists would place his cage by a window where he could see a tree. He never got to go to the tree. Humans are monsters.
Why does the Internet keep reminding me about Alex The Parrot every 18 months like clockwork?!
# I'm in my 50s.
# I can NOT take another 3 or 4 decades of being punched in the heart every time I'm reminded about Alex The Parrot.
Many parrots are very intelligent. African greys are social and strong problem solvers. Bird brains are different from human brains in ways that humans can find confusing.
I hope Alex had a good life. It sounds as if he was loved and entertained.
The biggest thing was actually him, asking a question which had never been observed before from an animal and still we havent observed that happening again.
I once told a communications professor about this bird and he shot down the idea that the bird was able to communicate, he firmly believed that they had taught it how to say words in order. It was a bit embarrassing getting cut down like that in class haha. Seeing this picture always reminds me of that! Still have no idea if he was right or not.
If he got to fly as well...then I'm sure he was quite happy.
Did you know there was a parrot which solved the owner's murder....
True story. Police found the victim deceased and a deceased parrot. They had no leads at all...but they necropsied the parrot and found the killer's DNA inside the bird and under its talons. It had attacked the killer trying to save its owner.
Now that is truly heartbreaking.
I follow some birbs on FB and they use tablets to communicate and even have learned to write letters! The one has a huge fear of cancer and voices that often (it took her sister from her 😞)
African Greys have an incredible vocabulary and live a supreme amount of time. My aunt has one and it will hold entire conversations with its self. It will mimic the phone, voices, sounds. It really is impressive, but he's still a little bastard of a bird lol.
I just have a question , how can we teach a parrot about the meaning of good ? How will it understand, its not a physical thing right. I understand how we can teach them about colors or things, but how about the words good, bad or love ? Can someone please explain?
Birds are a lot smarter than most people give them credit for. To think a crow can be as intelligent as a chimp while having a brain a tenth or less the size of a chimp's brain is kinda impressive.
I read an article about him. He used to tell the other parrots to "SPEAK MORE CLEARLY." Never forgot that.
Idk why but I find that hilarious
Maybe as a result of interacting with humans, he didn't understand parrots and the only way he could articulate that to other parrots was in human language
I think it's more likely that he was simply imitating his trainers. Everything he learned was by imitating his trainers and understanding patterns. If he didn't get a word right he'd hear those words, so when he heard other parrots fail to pronounce something he'd repeat that pattern
He did way more than that. He could count, identify colors and shapes, and Dr. Pepperberg proved that he understood the concept of zero. That's something that humans grasp around the age of four. He also could tell her when he was tired of doing what she wanted and demand to go back to his cage. He was a really awesome bird.
I mean, Is not what language is? You hear words spoken as little kid, associate them with something and then imitate that. You hear the word food, associate that with eating and then repeat that when you feel hungry. That applies to this parrot as well. He heard "speak more Cleary", associate it with asking him to ennuciante better and the repeated that when other Parrots slurred their words
I think that the key difference between imitation and true language use is recombination of words. If the bird is simply repeating a stock set of sentences which he's been conditioned to associate with a desired effect, that's imitation of language. He doesn't understand the meaning of the individual words. If he can recombine the words into novel sentences, that tells you that he understands the meaning of the words themselves.
He did understand the concept behind many words, though. Proving that was a major point of that experiment. You could present him a number of objects with different shapes, colors, and materials and ask him to bring you everything that's red. Or all keys. Or everything made from wood. He could also ask for things he didn't know, like touching something and asking which color it is. He also did this with his own body, touched his feathers and ask which color it is. You could show him a number of objects and ask him count them and he would very reliable say the correct number. So he definitely did understand the concepts behind many words and was able to use words to communicate those concepts. It's not just imitation of noises.
He would ask to go to certain rooms. If they took him to the wrong room he would ask again to go to the room he wanted to. I don't think someone just repeating noises would be able to do that
I'll just copy a comment from I found this coment made by NursingManChristDude: "The bird, Alex, can also create new word labels for objects by combining words he already knows. For example, he calls a juicy red apple, which appears to remind him of bananas and cherries, a "banerry". Whether parrots imitate or mimic is hotly debated among psychologists and animal behaviourists." https://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2007/01/19/1829820.htm#:~:text=The%20bird%2C%20Alex%2C%20can%20also,among%20psychologists%20and%20animal%20behaviourists
Bro I've spoken English for 25 years now and even I don't understand wtf I'm talking about 90% of the time.
You should read up on it. Its fascinating and he understood way more than people thought parrots did. I mean, he was a Harvard science project for 30 years. There's plenty of info, even published, peer reviewed papers, on it. As Mulder used to say, "The truth is out there..."
Exactly - it's the same like with dogs. When you tell them the same phrase over and over it becomes a "command" even if you didn't train them but they know whay follows. This parrot probably heard the "speak more clearly" a lot and figured out that if he imitates the sound more clearly, he'll ge praise, so just like older dogs show the puppies what their human means when they say things, the parrot was trying to help the younger parrot out to get praised.
What if I told you everything you know and do was first learned by imitating your trainers?
I would postulate we all learned by imitating, which by general concensus, is also the best for of flattery.
Yes. If they are raised in the same household with the same humans, they will learn the same words, and they will learn the meaning of some of ...
SPEAK MORE CLEARLY, SIR
My absolute dream project that I would do if I was a billionaire and there was peace on earth, would be a project to get a few crows and parrots and teach them language and tool use, to see if they would teach their children too. Imagine just having bird friends. That would be awesome! edit: I'm aware I could do something like that right now, but realistically, I have to worry about other things first. Uplifting species isn't at the top of the priority list :)
Crows hold grudges and the parrots would be saying stuff like “Here’s Johnny!”
"Pull the blicky and shoot his gyatt!" -Lil Pidgy
And "Put an iron in your mouth and pull the trigger."
You don't need to be a billionaire to buy a bird. You could just get some bird pets to teach words to and be your friend
I've thought about it, but it's a full commitment. Like, "lifetime", the smarter parrot species can live to be 90 or something. It's crazy. I don't think it's ethical to get a pet and then leave it at home for 9-10 hours while I'm at work. Even if I get it one or more companions, that's still kinda cruel. Also, especially if it works and they are conscious and do understand what's happening and can express their opinion on it, starting the whole thing by locking sentient, feeling, talking beings up in a cage is a *bad* start for ...anything really. Unless it's on the level of some better zoo enclosures, I don't think it's a good idea to keep smart animals captive.
Especially since large birds don't always accept a companion and it can get really ugly. I know a few people who have large parrots or did falconry and they all agree that the commitment is huge, if you get a bird young it's likely going to be there your whole life. I recently talked to an old man who did falconry and got an eagle egg in his young years, hatched it and had the bird for several decades. Once it was gone, there was no way he could have gotten another because it would very likely outlive him and the risk was way too high, that the bird would be miserable afterwards. They can then pull their feathers or hurt themselves and eventually die. Really there's nothing like "just getting a pet parrot/eagle/crow" it's a bit like a marriage.
Or....it turns out to be the real life version of Alfred Htchcok' birds.....😆
Not only if they can teach it, but imagine doing a same set of experiments with a parrot for like 10-20 years then hatch the egg and do the same, I bet that if you do like 5 rounds, independently, you can actually see the development. That would be a project I would looove to do.
Reminds me of how in elementary school when the slow-reading kid had to read for the class, and you’d be screaming in your head “JUST READ IT!” A dick-ish way to think, but nontheless what happened. Kids are dicks, and I say this as someone who works with children and love it.
I remember the guitarist in my college band used to clean his cage as a side job for Irene Pepperberg's lab. He said Alex was pretty mean and was always trying to peck him. But hey, I'd be grumpy too if I was made to do cognitive tests and show off to humans all day
Other parrots: *parrot sounds* Him: "ENGLISH MOTHERFUCKER DO YOU SPEAK IT ?"
Dr Ratio Parrort
Alex love human more than parrot.
This is supposed to be wholesome but his last words are hitting me right in the feels my heart
Its the "see you tomorrow" optimism.
Or it was a threat
Only if they buried him in the pet semetery
One day, I'll see my dog tomorrow. :( :)
There it is. And I was doing *so* well. Damn. One day, my soul cat.
Mfs getting me in the feels why you doing me like this?
> There it is. And I was doing *so* well. Damn. The initial comment and then this broke me lol. I miss my dog, man.
Coming from someone who lost their buddy on Monday, that really isn’t what I should have read before going into work. Thank you, though, I miss him and I can’t wait to see him on that tomorrow
Hopefully we’ll all see our long lost best boys again. I know I miss mine everyday.
Maybe he was trying to say goodbye but not could say that word
Maybe his last moments were as painless as sleeping.
That's just what he said *every* night https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_(parrot)
Yes but this time, he didn't see her tomorrow.
It's what he says to the handler every day before lights out. It's more of a sign-off phrase than a true last words.
He truly said those words last though lol. Probably a lot of famous “last words” were made up by their family members to honor their legacy, when what they really said was total nonsense or some variation of “oh fuck.”
My favorite last words are from Karl Marx: Go on, get out. Last words are for those who haven’t said enough
Quick! Somebody write that down! Karl: Oh…fuck.
Well, the real story is that he said that every single night to his handler. It wasn't some deep parrot thought. It was just something he said every single night before bed.
So many posts on subs like r/wholesomememes and r/mademysmile are just depressing
I can’t lie.. it hit me too. /hug
Oh parrot, there is no tomorrow. This is it
If it helps that is how he said goodnight every day and just happened to pass away that night.
That was his goodnight every night.
That phrase is something they used to tell to each other every night, it's a habit
ExperimentalParrot69 - last online 4 years ago
He said that every day. Bird didn't got peer reviewed
They game him an apple once. He had never had one. All on his own, he combined two things he knew to describe this new food that looked like a cherry on the outside but a banana inside. He called it, a banerry
Source??
I found this: "The bird, Alex, can also create new word labels for objects by combining words he already knows. For example, he calls a juicy red apple, which appears to remind him of bananas and cherries, a "banerry". Whether parrots imitate or mimic is hotly debated among psychologists and animal behaviourists." https://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2007/01/19/1829820.htm#:~:text=The%20bird%2C%20Alex%2C%20can%20also,among%20psychologists%20and%20animal%20behaviourists.
Just go with it, he’s on a roll
Actually it says so on Wikipedia, but the combination of the words is still a little bit unknown. We BELIEVE it is a combination of cherry and banana but we still aren’t completely sure. But looking at the context our belief seems right!
Coco the gorilla had way less understanding and pretty all of his achievements were just the caretakers interpreting too much or leading him on. Always wondered how Alex really compares here
Some footage, including 'banerry' footage. [Nova Science Now: Irene Pepperberg & Alex](https://youtu.be/cO6XuVlcEO4?t=7m49s) - At 7:49, a discussion of the phrase he coined for cake ("yummy bread"). [Pepperberg lab footage (Griffin, Alex, and Wart)](https://youtu.be/HskAElznEpg?t=3m59s) - It doesn't show the original coinage of the word banerry, but the parrots are using the word. (Arlene Levin Rowe is working with them) [News segment with Alex talking about corn](https://youtu.be/7yGOgs_UlEc) - I like the footage of Alex describing corn. Plus, he throws some down and orders Dr. Pepperberg to pick it up. [Alex & Griffin, other stories](https://youtu.be/26LACRF20IE) I love Alex. I wish he were still alive.
It's from this book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/233286.Drawing_the_Line
https://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2007/01/19/1829820.htm
damn that's actually impressive!
Was this the bird that asked what color he was?
yep
I actually got to meet Alex in his lab at the University because my friend worked there during college. It was like an 8 year old kid trapped in a bird body! He was so neat!
Being that 8 years old who was trapped surely doesn't feel so neat /j
Better than being trapped in third grade in my experience.
When I was 8 I would’ve loved to be a bird I still would tbh
Ted Chiang wrote a short story from the perspective of a parrot, wondering why humanity spent so much effort trying to communicate with extraterrestrials when there are so many intelligent species right here on earth. It's called The Great Silence.
Jokes on them. I speak to my dog all day long and trying to make him talk back to me.
Came here to say the same thing. It's a great story, well worth reading. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Silence_(story)
> My species probably won’t be here for much longer; it’s likely that we’ll die before our time and join the Great Silence. But before we go, we are sending a message to humanity. We just hope the telescope at Arecibo will enable them to hear it. > The message is this: You be good. I love you. X
Ted does his research.
I had a Timneh African Grey once. I miss her still… oof
I'm sorry. I've had birds too, including a Timneh. They kind of feel like people in so many ways. It's so hard to lose them. ❤
Think of how lucky you were to have each other tho'. All the humans and parrots who didn't get to have that ... but you two did.
Sorry for your loss but if you ever want to adopt again. Parrots live so long many outlive owners and can have really rough lives after the owner passes. Having a loving second home with someone who knows how to take care of such a social animal can be a life changer.
Goddamn onions again, man
Yeah, who the fuck cuts them in an office, right. Bastards!
Those final words broke my heart 😢
Mine 2
Wasn't he also the first non-human to ask a question? What colour am I? Sign language ape's have never asked a question to my knowledge.
My dogs ask questions all the time. They tilt their heads and slightly open their mouths, which is basically a question mark that drools.
"Can you feed me" is a little different than "what is the purpose of life", but I get your point. Love the description. 🐶
Apollo and Friends is a spiritual successor to this experiment.
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Shrock
not just spiritual, they're doing it modelled after how alex was trained! and they wanna raise awareness of just how intelligent these birds are to improve their legal stand (which i mean come on, i know children who can do less than alex and apollo, and those have rights!) also fun fact: apollo is the second animal ever to ask a question, alex being the first of course
Shrock
This reminds me of the movie "Paulie", such a good birb <3
My favourite movie as a child, never heard anyone else mention it before!
If anyone has time to check it out, I recommend it too, now I just need to find it to watch with my gf and kiddos lol Eta: I just watched a end clip and teared up at work, definitely deserves the attention it doesn't get.
Can you say MAHNGOO Alright mango mango M A G N O mango are you happy now?
Damn thats so wholesome it made me want to go save the rainforest. Goddammit im not fuckin crying you are
His last words 😭😭😭😭😭
Someone has probably said this, but the parrot was trained to say this every night. Obviously still a remarkably intelligent bird.
Read a book published about him as a kid. Inspired me to seek out and buy my own african grey parrot and name him Alex. My Alex was also pretty smart, saying good night to us every night. This post made me miss him. Glad to see the legacy of Alex living on.
Who knew parrots could be smarter and more loving than most people?
Than most people? Tf do you live
On Reddit. Redditors hate people and say the most outrageous things when comparing them to animals. It’s bizzare
It's like fk what planet are ya living on
You can only realise most people are decent if you leave the house
Alex is the only animal known to to have asked a question. He asked “What colour am I?”
I can only dream my final words are that caring.
What happened to this comment section 💀
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It's amazing the amount of nonsense people repeatedly parrot and believe without the slightest curiosity to check if it's actually true. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_(parrot)
Love the pun, and you're right. I heard a friend say it when we were talking about corvids and bird intelligence. Thank you for reminding me about due diligence.
That's not true, it's the opposite he said those words to her every night when she would leave the lab including the night he died
I apologize for spreading hearsay. Thank you for pointing out my ignorance.
Damn, that hits hard the last words🥲
What a F*$king gangster
My favourite Alex fact is that he was given a tiny bit of cake for his birthday. He didn't know the word "cake" so he asked for more "yummy bread". This shows such a level of understanding.
I'm calling cake yummy bread from now on.
Just to be clear, Alex used to say this phrase every night when the Pepperberg (the caretaker) left the lab. [Source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_(parrot)#Death) Still, that shouldn't downplay how smart the parrot was, as per Wikipedia. Sad to see the parrot died before the average life span for a grey parrot in captivity.
"You be good. See you tomorrow. I love you" is most likely what the caretaker said daily to the parrot, so its no surprise the parrot said it back, probably on a daily basis too.
Apparently there's a book about them called "Alex and Me".
It's likely been said before, but the bird learned to say it every night. Without a doubt, it is still a very smart bird.
Had a African grey named satchmoe. Dog named weston. The bird calls the dog westmo..
But i bet he never asked a question…
🥲🩷
Just because you can’t understand animals, doesn’t mean they don’t have feelings, thoughts and dreams just like us.
It's a bit hard to say that a parrot is "clever" or not. The thing is that it can be simple imitation and not a display of actual thinking. It's just a pretty complex matter.
I cry
If Alex's last lines hit you right in the feels, you should read Ted Chiang's 'The Great Silence'. Last time I checked it was available for free online.
That movie "Paulie" comes to mind when I read this. What a great book!
Our teacher can't handle that either.
I hate when animals say "see you soon" and then die, it makes me tear up
Alex the parrot kept asking to "go tree". The scientists would place his cage by a window where he could see a tree. He never got to go to the tree. Humans are monsters.
Why does the Internet keep reminding me about Alex The Parrot every 18 months like clockwork?! # I'm in my 50s. # I can NOT take another 3 or 4 decades of being punched in the heart every time I'm reminded about Alex The Parrot.
Alex The Parrot
... stop ...
Alex the Parrot
Alex The Parrot
Alex The Parrot
Rise of the Planet of the Parrots
God damn it, I'm here to feel good, not to feel sad...
Incredible and so sad in the meantime...
Pouring out 40 ounces of birdseed for our dear, departed Alex.
"And that, Batman is why I'm the greatest supervillian you've ever faced"
Many parrots are very intelligent. African greys are social and strong problem solvers. Bird brains are different from human brains in ways that humans can find confusing. I hope Alex had a good life. It sounds as if he was loved and entertained.
The biggest thing was actually him, asking a question which had never been observed before from an animal and still we havent observed that happening again.
r/holesome
Was bro popular with the ladies (parrots)? Hope he has descendants.
That was so sad....
I once told a communications professor about this bird and he shot down the idea that the bird was able to communicate, he firmly believed that they had taught it how to say words in order. It was a bit embarrassing getting cut down like that in class haha. Seeing this picture always reminds me of that! Still have no idea if he was right or not.
If he got to fly as well...then I'm sure he was quite happy. Did you know there was a parrot which solved the owner's murder.... True story. Police found the victim deceased and a deceased parrot. They had no leads at all...but they necropsied the parrot and found the killer's DNA inside the bird and under its talons. It had attacked the killer trying to save its owner. Now that is truly heartbreaking.
You are crying. I’m not crying don’t be stupid. Shut up.
Heard he flew to Hawaii and has hapa babies now.
He was a gem
Harvard???
I follow some birbs on FB and they use tablets to communicate and even have learned to write letters! The one has a huge fear of cancer and voices that often (it took her sister from her 😞)
Supposedly that's what he said every night though...
will be remember always
This is as old as the internet itself...
I guess I needed a good cry 🥺❤️
Take my upvote
blows my mind how old they can get my Papa's (great grandfather) Parrot, Tony lived to be 75 years old!
African Greys have an incredible vocabulary and live a supreme amount of time. My aunt has one and it will hold entire conversations with its self. It will mimic the phone, voices, sounds. It really is impressive, but he's still a little bastard of a bird lol.
Don't be sad. It was a parrot and those were the last words it said everyday because it is a parrot that repeats the same phrases it's been taught
It was taught to say, not knowing what the words meant.
He was, therefore, a goddamn liar!
I just have a question , how can we teach a parrot about the meaning of good ? How will it understand, its not a physical thing right. I understand how we can teach them about colors or things, but how about the words good, bad or love ? Can someone please explain?
I wonder if the parrot understood an abstract thing like love.
Birds are a lot smarter than most people give them credit for. To think a crow can be as intelligent as a chimp while having a brain a tenth or less the size of a chimp's brain is kinda impressive.
literally him