A pair of veterinary medical researchers at the Medical University of Vienna and the University of Vienna, Austria, have discovered that some captive Goffin’s cockatoos like to dip in hard bread before eating, apparently as a way to improve its texture. In a paper published in the journal Biology Letters , Jeroen Zewald and Alice Auersperg, describe their observations of birds and their theory about why birds dip bread.

Many animals have been observed dipping food in water before consumption—raccoons are a prime example. Previous research has shown that at least 25 species of birds dip their food in water before consuming it, although why they do so remains unclear.

In this new effort, researchers working at the Goffin Laboratory at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna accidentally discovered that some birds in the lab carried cookie pieces to a nearby water bowl. and dip it for a few seconds before enjoying their treat. Rusk is a dry, crispy, twice-baked bread often given to teething babies. In this case, it was given to captive Goffin’s cockatoos as part of their daily diet at the laboratory.

The researchers reported that they happened to notice one of the birds, a male named Pippin, pick up a piece of biscuit and walk to a nearby basin of water, typically used for bathing. Once there, he pushed the piece of bread into the water and held it there for a few seconds. He then took the snack out of the water and ate it.

Intrigued by their observations, the researchers began to watch more closely as the birds were fed – biscuits were served along with seeds, bird pellets, dried fruit and cakes. corn. Upon observation, the researchers found that some of the birds imitated Pippin’s actions, although they differed in both the level of dedication and the time spent dipping the bread.

After observing the birds eating over a 12-day period, the researchers found that 7 out of 18 birds in the lab dipped their food in, and it was almost always brown bread. The birds left the bread in the water for an average of 23 seconds, more than enough time to soften its texture. They also found that some birds are willing to soak their cakes for long periods of time before eating, such as climbing ladders and moving furniture out of the way.