[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: African Greys-non-GSD but fascinating
- From: PamJB1@xxxxxxx
- To: showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 18:02:17 EDT
They are fascinating. Quantum knows every dog by name and cat. He will tell
them to shut up when barking too much, to lie down, and sit and so on. The
only good thing is that he doesn't sound anything like me, or there'd be a real
problem.
Alex was an amazing bird, and though I know they were training a couple of
younger birds I don't know if they've shown any of the cognitive skills Alex
had.
Pam and the pack.
In a message dated 9/11/2007 11:31:51 A.M. Mountain Daylight Time,
cheradongsd@xxxxxxx writes:
Hi all,
I know this isn't about GSD's but many of you probably have African Greys
and I just ADORE them.? I have GSD friends that have them and they are
sooooooooooooo smart--and I've been wanting one for YEARS but cant afford to
buy
one--and you dont very often find a "free" one unless it is mean or something.
This is sad but fascinating.? I copied this article from the news--here:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20723212/
Cheri
Cheradon
Gifted research parrot Alex found dead
Could count to six, identify colors and even express frustration
The Associated Press
Updated: 10:47 a.m. ET Sept 11, 2007
WALTHAM, Mass. - A gifted parrot that could count to six, identify colors
and even express frustration with repetitive scientific trials has died after
30 years of helping researchers better understand the avian brain.
The death of Alex, an African Grey parrot, left scientists at Brandeis
University feeling as if they'd lost a colleague.
"It's devastating to lose an individual you've worked with pretty much every
day for 30 years," scientist Irene Pepperberg told The Boston Globe.
"Someone was working with him 8 to 12 hours every day of his life."
Alex's advanced language and recognition skills revolutionized the
understanding of the avian brain.
After Pepperberg bought Alex from an animal shop in 1973, the parrot learned
enough English to identify 50 different objects, seven colors, and five
shapes.
He could count up to six, including zero, was able to express desires,
including his frustration with the repetitive research.
He also occasionally instructed two other parrots at the lab to "talk
better" if they mumbled, though it wasn't clear if he was simply mimicking
researchers.
Pepperberg said Alex hadn't reached his full cognitive potential and was
demonstrating the ability to take distinct sounds from words he knew and
combine
them to form new words. Just last month he pronounced the word "seven" for
the first time.
The cause of Alex's death was unknown. The African Grey parrot's average
life span is 50 years, Pepperberg said.
She said Alex was discovered dead in his cage Friday morning. Pepperberg
said she waited to release the news until Monday so grieving researchers could
get over the shock and talk about it.
Pepperberg said the last time she saw Alex on Thursday, they went through
their goodnight routine, in which she told him it was time to go in the cage
and said: "You be good, I love you. I'll see you tomorrow."
Alex responded, "You'll be in tomorrow."
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ALL PERSONS ARE ON NOTICE THAT THE FORWARDING, REPRODUCTION OR USE IN ANY
MANNER OF ANY MATERIAL WHICH APPEARS ON SHOWGSD-L WITHOUT THE EXPRESS
PERMISSION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE POST AND THE LIST MANAGEMENT IS EXPRESSLY
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