This Body-Rolling, Headbanging Bird Could Tell Us Why We Dance
He’s got 14 different dance moves down pat. He’s perfected the body roll and would make Madonna proud with his vogue. He even rocks a good headbang to Queen. Did I mention he’s a cockatoo? This bird is cluing scientists into what motivates humans to dance.
After researchers studied the cockatoo’s “dance routines” they theorized that birds and humans boogie because of shared traits like imitating movement and the tendency to form social bonds.
Researchers say we (and the rest of the animal kingdom) may dance, not because of a sign of high intelligence, but rather because of complex social behavior.
Translated; that means humans and animals dance “to have a good time.”
Remember Snowball the dancing parrot? He's back, with more moves! And his antics could tell us something important about why humans dance, and why most other animals do not. https://t.co/dNOWK32EER
— Ed Yong is not here (@edyong209) July 8, 2019
