vasa may, because of its insular existence, display conservative energetic traits (low BMR, use of adaptive heterothermy) similar to those observed in several Malagasy mammals. We also provide new data for the Greater Vasa Parrot ( Coracopsis vasa) of Madagascar. There was no phylogenetic signal in the BMR data. An ordinary least squares regression fitted the data best and body mass explained 95% of the variation in BMR. Unlike previous reports, we show that parrots per se do not display BMRs that are any different to other captive-raised birds of their body size.

In this study we examined the allometry of basal metabolic rate (BMR) of 31 parrot species. Lovegrove, Barry G Perrin, Mike R Brown, Mark The allometry of parrot BMR: seasonal data for the Greater Vasa Parrot, Coracopsis vasa, from Madagascar. These observations provide new insights into the tool-using capabilities of parrots and highlight the greater vasa parrot as a species of interest for studies of physical cognition. Tool use occurred most frequently just prior to the breeding season, during which time numerous instances of tool transfer were also documented. Several members of a captive population spontaneously adopted a novel tool-using technique by using pebbles and date pits either (i) to scrape on the inner surface of seashells, subsequently licking the resulting calcium powder from the tool, or (ii) as a wedge to break off smaller pieces of the shell for ingestion. We report the first evidence, to our knowledge, of tool use by greater vasa parrots ( Coracopsis vasa). Parrots are frequently cited for their sophisticated problem-solving abilities, but cases of habitual tool use among psittacines are scarce.

Lambert, Megan L Seed, Amanda M Slocombe, Katie E A novel form of spontaneous tool use displayed by several captive greater vasa parrots ( Coracopsis vasa).

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