Goffin’s cockatoos pass the body-as-obstacle test, hinting at self-awareness

Body Awareness in Goffin's Cockatoos

Researchers adapted the body-as-obstacle (BAO) task for birds for the first time, testing Goffin’s cockatoos. The task requires recognizing one’s own body as the cause of an obstruction. The cockatoos stepped off a mat to remove their body weight as an obstacle, succeeding in the test condition more than in controls. This suggests that body awareness may be evolutionarily widespread and not limited to animals that pass the mirror self-recognition test.