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g'day all,
Halina Steele enquired whether Gang-gangs only eat with their
left foot.
Lynda Chambers was maintaining records of this characteristic
for the parrot family
Check out her Web Page ..
Follows is a copy from that page.
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"Annual Report
1995/1996
This is a much condensed version of the Annual Report which
appears in VORG Notes 31(1):13-16. See VORG Notes 30(1) for a description of the
project.
33 Species of parrots were recorded using their foot
to hold an object. These included 8 species of cockatoo, 5 lorikeet species, and
4 rosella species. Also included were observations of African Lovebirds and
Red-fronted Kakarikis. The survey returns included in this report contained a
nice spread of both wild and captive birds (one of the aims of the study is to
determine if captivity affects footedness).
At present there is still not enough data to draw any
strong conclusions, however, some interesting information has appeared.
So far, Gang-gang Cockatoos and Sulphur-crested Cockatoos
appear to be left-footed and Eastern Rosellas, Mallee Ringnecks and Red-fronted
Kakarikis appear to be right-footed species.
In fact all six Gang-gang Cockatoos surveyed used only
their left foot. Individual preferences also appeared.
For example, of the four Cockatiels surveyed two appeared
to be left-footed and two right-footed. Similar results were found for Crimson
Rosellas.
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My own observations are that Sulphur-crested Parrots always
pick up their food with their Left foot but our local Cloncurry Parrot
(Ringneck) always uses its Right Foot.
Regards, Bob Forsyth, Mount Isa, NW
Qld.
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