A New Study Shows That Grey Parrots Have Musical Preferences

We may have more in common with parrots than we think, as a new study reveals that they have personal preferences when it comes to music! According to the Telegraph, Dr Franck Peron, from the University of Lincoln, studied the musical preferences of African grey parrots and found that they were all over the music spectrum, but with differences from one individual to another: one parrot clearly liked ‘soothing middle of the road’ music whereas another one was more into ‘upbeat modern pop’. Researchers said they enjoyed rock and folk music, dancing along or even singing/squawking along, as they were offered a large range of tunes, from U2 to UB40 and even Joan Baez. Classical music was appreciated too, although the researchers said that Bach ‘appeared to relax them, encouraging them to rest and preen themselves’… err, I would say they were a little bored?

Two males were even left with a touch-screen monitor in their cage, and the possibility to play either ‘I Don’t Feel like Dancing’, by Scissor Sisters, or ‘La Petite Fille de la Mer’ by Vangelis. Researchers found they could clearly establish preferences, as one of the male was consistently choosing the Scissor Sisters song, and the other one the Vangelis tune! And the birds really liked music as they played the songs 1,400 times in a month!

However, the study was able to establish one thing, all the parrots hated electronic dance music! They greatly dislike the Prodigy and the Chemical Brothers! This is what Dr Peron explained : ‘The electronic dance music was not appropriate for them. We had the radio on in the office and when it was a very fast beat, they started to scream; not in a friendly, communicative way but in a distressed, scared way. They seem to like pop music when there is a voice.’

Poor birds, and it wasn’t even Skrillex! Probably a torture for these educated and super smart animals! Watch this one having a blast with Scissor Sisters!