Meet Bruce, the disabled kea parrot who is the boss of his flock
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(See our AI policy here .) A parrot missing half his beak has become top bird at New Zealand’s Willowbank Wildlife Reserve. Named Bruce, he wins every fight with other kea parrots. He also gets priority access to food.
This observation has made scientists question their ideas about disabilities in animal social groups. Bruce showed that a physical disadvantage doesn’t have to hold an animal back. Sometimes the right moves and a little creativity can make all the difference.
Researchers shared this finding April 20 in Current Biology. Willowbank’s kea live in a large aviary with trees and a stream. Visitors who stop by often fail to notice the parrots snoozing among the leaves.
But when they spot Bruce, they always make the same comment, says behavioral ecologist Alex Grabham: “Look at that poor bird.” That pity is misguided, says Grabham. He’s part of a team studying kea at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. That team tracked how Bruce interacted with his flock.
(A group of kea is called a circus, reflecting the birds’ playful nature.) Like other parrots, kea have a social hierarchy. This is a ranking system where some birds are in charge; others follow the leader. Birds compete for the top spot by fighting, squawking or puffing up feathers.
Grabham’s team spent four weeks recording 162 physical confrontations between the nine males in Bruce’s circus. Without a doubt, he was the top kea. What’s more, he’s the first disabled animal to be recorded achieving top status within a group, at least without support from an able-bodied ally.
(Faben was a dominant, or “alpha,” male chimpanzee living at Gombe National Park in Tanzania. He lost his top rank after polio paralyzed his arm. Faben’s brother took over his alpha status, but also became his ally.
Faben then worked his way back to second place after perfecting a charging technique to bat away rivals.) Also key to Bruce’s success: an unusual combat technique. Other kea tend to rely solely on kicking to repel other birds. Bruce supplemented his kicks with a unique jousting technique.
He jabbed at rivals with his exposed lower beak.
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