Footage captures the birds expertly gripping and turning the handle before leaning in to take a drink.

To study this behavior, researchers set up camera traps in western Sydney and documented over 500 attempts at using the drinking fountain across 44 days. The cockatoos were successful about 46% of the time, a remarkable feat given the complexity of the action required. "The behavior consists of a combination of actions involving both feet, bill, and shifting body weight to start the water flow," the researchers explained in their study published in Biology Letters.

Dr. John Martin, a senior ecologist at Ecosure and co-author of the study, stumbled upon this behavior while surveying the foraging habits of cockatoos. "They would go and stand on it, grip the handle, push it forwards to activate it, and then lean over and have a drink," Martin said, noting that the birds likely learned the behavior by observing people. One enterprising bird figured it out first, and others quickly followed suit, finding the activity not only practical but enjoyable as well. According to the study, around 70% of the local cockatoo population attempted this maneuver.

Interestingly, the cockatoos did not rely on the drinking fountain out of necessity, as a creek was situated only 500 meters away. The behavior seemed to incorporate a social and playful element, with the flock gathering to forage, drink, and interact. The "drinking fountain innovation" has persisted for at least two years, making it the second notable urban adaptation among Sydney’s sulphur-crested cockatoo populations. Previously, these birds had mastered the "bin-opening innovation," a technique for lifting rubbish bin lids using their beaks and feet, which soon spread across Sydney's southern suburbs.

Martin, who also co-authored the bin-opening study, highlighted the birds' use of socially learned techniques specific to their groups. "Birds in one area opened a bin in a certain way, and birds in another geographic area opened a bin in a different way," he observed.

Residents are encouraged to share their sightings and observations of cockatoo innovation through the Big City Birds website and app. Cockatoos, a family of parrots, are well-documented for their cleverness and adaptability, possessing dextrous toes that enable intricate manipulations.

Experiments conducted in Austria on Goffin's cockatoos, native to Indonesia, have shown the birds demonstrating similar problem-solving skills, like dunking biscuits in water before eating them or dipping food in yogurt for added flavor. These behaviors exemplify the rapid, socially learned adaptations that help some species thrive in urban environments.

Dr. Holly Parsons, who manages the urban bird program at BirdLife Australia, stated that sulphur-crested cockatoos are highly interactive and common in Australian cities, leveraging their intelligence to exploit urban resources. The species ranked fourth in BirdLife Australia's annual Aussie Bird Count. Parsons also noted that it's not unusual to see cockatoos flipping bin lids and suggested that pet cockatoos released into the wild might teach others to speak. "It's just so fascinating to see how their brains are working and how they are learning from each other," she said.