May 29, 2009
Scientists have proved that birds really do dance to music - after studying a cockatoo on YouTube.
Snowball has been viewed an amazing two million times on YouTube, reports The Sun.
It led scientists to discover that parrots - and also elephants - do feel the beat of music, giving them an in-built sense of rhythm for dancing.
But researchers found no evidence that cats, dogs or chimps shared this trait.
Dr Aniruddh Patel, of the Neurosciences Institute in San Diego, California, said scientists began their research after becoming mesmerised by the footage of Snowball.
He said: "I was very impressed and contacted Snowball's owner in Indiana for a more formal test. This showed that Snowball wasn't just mimicking the movements of somebody off-camera.
"And his movements followed the beat of his favourite BackStreet Boys song even when the tune was sped up or slowed down."
Dr Patel said Snowball drifted in and out of following the beat - "like a child does".
But he added that statistical analysis of the cockatoo's head bobs showed they really were related to tempo.
And after analysing 1,000 videos purporting to show animals dancing, the scientists found 14 species of parrot and one species of elephant that they say were convincing dancers.
