I'd always loved reading about Alex and Dr. Pepperberg's work with him. He was an amazing bird who showed us that birds are capable of intelligence previously thought possible only in creatures like chimps. The neat thing about birds is that, unlike chimps who can learn sign language but not verbal speech ( they can't talk), birds like Alex have no hands to learn sign language with and so have to use other means of communication--- speech! Parrots are, by nature, social creatures--- they vocalize to each other alot in the wild. Turns out that Alex had to learn "Human English" to socialize and interact with his human flock of scientists. Smart bird. I don't know of too many people who can say they've learned Cockatoo or Macaw as a second language.
It's too bad that he died so young. I think there's an old saying that goes "only the good die young". I think it may apply here.
13 Sep 2007, 3:00 pm
