Cockatoos start sipping from Sydney’s drinking fountains after mastering series of complex moves

Experts think the clever birds learned the technique by watching people and then trying it themselves

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Sulphur-crested cockatoos in Sydney have worked out how to operate drinking fountains, with footage showing the white birds gripping and turning the handle before leaning in for a sip.

Researchers set up camera traps and recorded the birds taking turns at a drinking fountain in western Sydney. Scientists observed more than 500 attempts over 44 days and revealed the birds were successful about 46% of the time.

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