In 2024, Australian scientists reported fitting five parrots with tracking devices; within 48 hours, the birds had removed every one

What happens if you put a wild parrot with a tiny GPS tracker, only to have the bird outsmart the technology within hours? In March 2022, researchers from the University of Adelaide attempted exactly that with five little corellas in South Australia. Their findings were later published in the 2024 study, 'A meta-analysis of parrot tracking studies reveals the difficulties of transmitter attachment to Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea)' in the journal Australian Field Ornithology. What followed was a remarkable display of intelligence and persistence: within 48 hours, every single device had been removed, not by accident, but by the parrots themselves. This unexpected act of defiance revealed more than just the birds’ strength; it showed their problem‑solving skills and raised important questions about how scientists study wildlife in the field.

The birds that removed their tracking devices

These particular birds were known as little corellas, a type of white cockatoo found widely across Australia, usually in huge, loud flocks. They commonly form large, noisy flocks and are known for their strong bills and ability to manipulate and chew a variety of materials. The species can also cause damage to crops and ornamental trees, which can bring them into conflict with farmers and gardeners.


Each bird was fitted with a 14-gram GPS logger. The devices were attached using a harness positioned around the body and chest. The research was conducted under the relevant animal-welfare and scientific-ethics requirements. After release, all five birds were observed attempting to remove their harnesses almost immediately.

All five trackers were removed within 48 hours

One bird managed to escape its harness within approximately two hours of release. The other four took longer, but by the end of 48 hours, all five trackers had come off. Most of the harnesses showed chew marks around vulnerable parts of the straps, strongly suggesting that the birds had bitten through them.

The circumstances surrounding the fifth tracker were less certain. That tracker was later found on the side of a road and was suspected of having been run over. As a result, it was not clear how it had been released, but combined with the behavioral observations described below of all five individual birds starting their efforts immediately, it's unlikely it just fell off from natural movement.

The observations indicated that the birds were actively interacting with the unfamiliar equipment rather than simply losing it through normal movement. From the moment the harnesses were fitted, the birds were observed manipulating them with their beaks until they were removed. The behavior demonstrated the birds' ability to manipulate the unfamiliar equipment using their bills.

The researchers were not entirely surprised by the behavior. Parrots are known for their ability to manipulate objects, while corellas are capable of chewing through a variety of materials. These characteristics made the attachment of novel equipment a potential challenge.

Why the behaviour matters

The loss of the tracking devices has implications beyond the immediate failure of the study equipment. The data being collected from the birds were important because they could provide information about their movements and behavior. Researchers use tags to study how animals move and respond to environmental change. When a subject removes its equipment before sufficient data have been collected, it sets the research back. The devices may not collect enough data to answer the researchers’ questions. Researchers may therefore need to reassess the equipment and modify the harness so that it remains secure without restricting the animal's movement or allowing the bird to remove it easily

A separate Australian study, published in 2022, reported that untagged Australian magpies removed tracking devices from other birds, pecking at the harness until it came loose. The researchers considered the behavior potentially significant because it suggested that birds may assist one another in removing unfamiliar equipment.

In the corella study, the majority of the birds were recorded working on their own equipment. One instance of interaction was recorded: in this case, one bird was observed pulling at the harness of another bird less than 30 minutes after the second bird was released. Researchers discussed whether this was a move to help remove the equipment or a social interaction such as grooming or play.

These researchers also acknowledge that such actions could potentially also serve as play. The observations show why wildlife researchers need to account for bird behavior when designing equipment.

Implications for future tracking studies

The findings also highlight the need for further work on attachment methods for strong-billed and behaviorally flexible birds. In the paper, the researchers say there needs to be a lot more work in creating attachment methods for strong-billed and behaviorally flexible birds such as parrots, and that using designs made for different species won't work. The unsuccessful deployment nevertheless provided useful information for future research. The findings can inform the development of tracking equipment and attachment methods for subsequent studies.

The observations showed that the birds could manipulate the unfamiliar equipment with their bills. This example also demonstrates how species-specific behavior is essential when tracking wild animals. In this study, the birds were able to manipulate and damage the harnesses, meaning that the planned data acquisition was not possible.