All language subtitles for Beak and Brain Genius Birds from Down Under 1080p HDTV EN Sub x264 AAC MVGroup org

>> A world like another planet,
the islands of New Zealand

and New Caledonia.

Here, the birds rule
since time immemorial.

There were no mammals until
humans introduced them.

It is no wonder that the
birds scaled new heights

with unique capabilities.

This is where crows
live, who can use tools

like no other creature
in the animal kingdom.

And this is where keas lives,
parrots who explore the world

and sometimes also
deconstruct it.

What is it that makes
these birds so intelligent?

And how high does their
flight of the intellect soar?

At last, it started snowing on
the mountains of New Zealand.

This suits the keas
down to the ground.

They are the only
parrots who actually

like snow, ice, and cold.

But one thing they don't
like is being alone.

They enjoy company,
and, like us, they often

go visiting friends
and relatives.

And they call in advance
to announce their visit.

But there's no rush.

The last few meters
can be done on foot.

That way, you can check
whether you're welcome,

and make your own
good intentions clear.

The tactic pays off.

The greeting is
nice and friendly.

But these two are
still young, as one

can tell from the yellow
circles around their eyes.

And very soon, the cuddles
become rather less gentle.

An unambiguous gesture.

Enough is enough.

No problem.

One can go let off
steam somewhere else

and look for adventure.

The more bustle, the merrier.

The ski circuit turns
into an amusement park.

Come on.

Let's go.

It's always the same
game with the bags.

As soon as you run to get
it, the kea runs away.

In the meantime,
real winter sports.

The camper roof
as a toboggan run.

Not bad, but today there's
an extra special attraction.

What a strange device.

Must take a look at that.

Amanda Greer built
this thing in the snow.

She is conducting research
into what keas eat,

and so she must
know as accurately

as possible what they weigh.

The whole caboodle is a scale,
especially made for keas.

As eyecatching as possible
to arouse their curiosity,

but also as stable as possible.

Well, who'd have thought it?

Just under a kilo.

We'll return to Amanda's
kea research later.

Right now, the birds are
conducting their own research.

What holds the world together?

But more importantly,
how can I take it apart?

Gangs of young keas are the
scourage of the ski resorts.

Their beak is as versatile
as a Swiss Army knife.

It can cut, press, pry open.

And it bears fruit.

A kea beak is the ideal tool to
tap into new sources of food.

But that's not the
only way to do it.

1,000 miles away, in the cloud
forests of New Caledonia,

lives a unique species of crow.

These birds do not rely
on their beaks as a tool,

rather they make tools
to get to hidden food.

Like other crows,
they are omnivorous,

on the lookout for
fruit, nuts, and insects.

Indeed, they wouldn't
turn up their beaks

at this hefty longhorn beetle.

If only they could
catch the critter.

For two full years, he has
gnawed his way as a larva

through the wood.

And there are more
like him, gnawing away,

in the old half rotten trunk.

Longhorn beetle larvae are
rich in fat and protein.

Just a couple are
enough to satisfy

the crow's entire daily
nutrition requirement.

So that makes the
exertion worth the while.

Unfortunately, they are mostly
hidden deep in the wood,

much too deep for
the beak of the crow.

Very visible, but
way out of reach.

What we need here is a tool.

For example, a
strong leaf stalk.

But this one is too long,
and above all, too bent.

Looks like all it needs
is a bit of poking around.

But that would only push the
larva deeper into the trunk.

No, one needs to irritate
and annoy it until it bites.

That's the trick.

Well, it would have worked, if
the crow had been more careful.

And it makes its ownership
claim quite clear.

My larva.

Keep fishing until it bites.

A magnificent catch.

The crow knows exactly how
to do it and what to use.

In New Zealand, the same
game looks very different.

The keas don't need tools.

Their beak is tool enough.

They break everything
down into small pieces.

And they're not about to
make anyone else a present,

apart from their
lifelong partner.

With them, things are
shared, almost tenderly.

Half for you, half for me.

Unless one is just pretending.

What a super way to pass the
time, even if the larvae have

long since being gobbled up.

Now the wood has
completely disintegrated.

The fun is over.

Luckily, a new
adventure floats in.

Mist.

Flying exercises in high winds
with bad visibility conditions.

At the same time, an
apprenticeship for young

keas in aerodynamics.

Windsurfing.

Landing backwards.

But this here is
even more attractive.

Tinted glasses are meant to
be good in mist, aren't they?

And apparently,
highly desirable.

Back to New Caledonia,
where new things are afoot.

The ornithologist Gavin
Hunt is well acquainted

with the cloud forests.

For years, he has been
observing birds here.

Everything seems
normal, until he

makes a surprising discovery.

Strange incisions in the
leaves of the pandanus tree.

Always the same pattern,
always the same depth.

Gavin has a hunch.

For days, he examines the
ground with a keener eye,

until he finds it,
the matching part.

Looks like some kind of tool.

At the bottom, a wide
handle, at the top,

a sharp tip with
barbs along the edge.

With the spines of the
pandanus leaf, an exact fit.

Gavin bets it's the crows.

Surely they created this.

But how can he prove it?

He decides to open a restaurant
for crows in the forest.

Wood trunks with
predrilled holes

in which he stows
tempting portions of meat,

but too deep for a crow's beak.

Concealed in the camouflage
tent, he has a bird's eye,

he hopes the clever crows
will use their tools again,

in front of his very eyes.

But the guests are
a long time coming.

Are they suspicious, or is it
because the weather is rapidly

deteriorating?

Looks like Gavin's forest
restaurant is a flop.

The keas in New Zealand
are on another wavelength.

They are not at all
disinclined to eating out,

not even at night.

And that causes some confusion
in the famous Wobbly Kea.

Glenn is the boss here.

And the boss takes care
of the cooking himself.

But now it's closing time.

Only one thing still to
do-- shut everything up

for the night.

A daily ritual.

He turns off all the lights,
and closes the sliding door

to the kitchen.

So far, so good.

But during the
night, strange things

happen in the Wobbly Kea.

And the next morning, the
clues are highly conspicuous.

A lid is lying on
the kitchen floor,

and someone's been
at the margarine.

Glenn sets up a
surveillance camera.

He has his suspicions.

But two locked doors?

The camera lies in wait.

In the meantime, it's worth
jumping back to New Caledonia,

because there is something afoot
in the cloud forest of the tool

crows.

The word about the opening
of Gavin's restaurant

has evidently gotten around.

The first guests arrive.

What's on the menu today?

Hm, not bad.

Only the cutlery is missing.

But in that department, the
crows are in their element.

A fresh tree shoot.

Cut off the green bit.

That should do the trick.

Quick, back to the table.

But at the first attempt,
it's abundantly clear.

The stick is too short.

Just an oversight.

Or is it lack of experience?

In any case, Gavin's next
guest opts for a longer device.

Carefully pry out the meat.

Use the foot to push against
the edge of the hole.

Seems the first bite is tasty.

OK, now for the whole piece.

But watch out!

The trunk is round,
and it's rolling away.

That's the way the
cookie crumbles.

The perfect probing tool
needs a hook at the tip.

Ah-hah.

That's the way to do it.

It works.

Experienced crows
know this, of course.

And they seem to know
other things too.

Gavin holds his breath.

His super tool is
also being put to use.

There's no doubt about it.

These crows are no fools
when it comes to tools.

But do they really
understand technology,

and cause and effect?

The question leads
us to South Germany.

There are New Caledonian
crows there too.

They belong to Auguste von
Bayern's research station,

where the goal is to provide
examples of their intelligence.

Do they think like us when
it comes to technical things?

Somewhat formally, Auguste
offers us a chocolate.

We must take it without
lifting the apparatus.

No chance.

But our crows could do
it, Auguste, claims,

and she sets them the same task.

Here you go.

Mighty exciting.

Especially because at
the bottom of the tube,

instead of a chocolate,
is an enticing meal worm.

But how can one get at it?

At the bottom,
everything is sealed.

How about from the top?

The bottom is much too deep.

The bird seems just
as baffled as us.

Somehow, a relief for us.

Auguste now gives a hint.

The bottom is
actually a trap door.

Using a wire as a lever,
you can trigger it open.

Although you can't tell the
crow that in so many words,

it doesn't take long before
it finds out for itself.

A slight pressure, and
the trap door drops open.

And the crow gets the worm.

But does it understand
the technical principle,

that when you exert pressure
onto the bottom, it falls open?

Let's see.

Auguste removes the lever.

Now everything is as it was
before, except that the crow is

a bit wiser.

The worm is lying ready.

The wire is gone, but it
seems to have an idea.

It has never handled
stones before.

A brilliant technical idea.

Hey, thanks for the advice.

Quickly, back to the
mountains of New Zealand.

At the Wobbly Kea Restaurant,
in Glenn's kitchen,

the night phantom is on the
verge of being explained.

The surveillance cameras
throws light on the subject.

Push it open, and
squeeze through.

But Tomcat Benny certainly
doesn't like margarine.

No, he's more interested
in hunting mice outside.

And so the cat flap
becomes a kea flap,

as if that's what he'd
been expecting all along.

There's nothing
standing in his way.

Open the sliding door.

And just like a
regular customer,

he marches directly
up to the bar

where the margerie
box is sitting.

Open the lid.

No brainer, with the
all-purpose beak.

And for keas, fat is a feast.

After the gluttony,
he can barely

squeeze back through the door.

Indeed, a more fitting
name for the Wobbly Kea

would be the Clever Kea.

And in nature, the keas
also need this cleverness

to get enough to eat.

Not easy in these
bleak mountains.

We have arranged to
meet up with Amanda,

to accompany her
on a research tour.

Together with her
colleague, Raul Schwing,

she wants to
document how and what

keas eat in the wilderness, far
away from restaurants or ski

circuits.

But so far, not a single
one has showed their face.

And to top it all, it starts
raining cats and dogs.

And nobody likes rain.

Amanda's objects of research
have retreated far off

into the distance.

Nevertheless, cameraman
Brian has discovered

two keas on a steep slope.

It's wet and slippery there, but
you can't keep a good cameraman

down.

>> I'm probably not
gonna get that bird.

He's definitely not
wanting us to follow him.

>> Brian wants to get
close-ups of the keas.

And they seek out a
place in the front row,

and get their action show.

>> Aw, fuck!

Damn.

Aw, fuck!

[CAWING]

>> As if they wanted to
demonstrate that you can also

take gravity more lightly.

In the evening, all's
right with the world again.

Camera and camera man only
suffered minor scratches.

And because the real keas
have made themselves scarce,

Amanda and Raul conjure up
their own on a tent wall.

[IMITATING BIRD SOUNDS]

>> Here, look at this one.

>> The main focus of Raul's
research are the calls

of the kea.

Amanda, as we already know,
is interested in their diet.

>> I've discovered that they use
a great deal of different types

of food.

So they're extremely
selective in what they take.

They don't just eat
plants, for example.

They eat the pollen of a
particular type of plant,

and then they might move on
and eat the roots of another.

They also eat invertebrates.

So they have a huge
variety of diet.

>> And they want to experience
as much of it as possible

the next morning.

Camouflage is not necessary.

Keas like colorful things,
garnish and eyecatching.

Raul does his bit.

He plays special kea calls.

Hey, the action's over here.

Come on over.

[CAWING]

The keas breakfast right
in front of Amanda's eyes.

Sugar food, important
for their large brains,

they have learned when which
berries are fully ripe.

Animal protein is underground,
if you've got a nose for it.

And give it a rinse.

Over 100 vegetarian ingredients
enrich the kea cuisine.

Here grass seed pastries.

Almost every day, they
try out something new

or refine what
they already know.

The only way to
find nourishing food

in these barren surroundings
is through intelligence

and the joy of tasting.

Raul gets to see it with
his very own eyes, how

a kea picks flowers.

Strictly, speaking
only the blossom.

And how it licks the pollen
out, as if it had been listening

to Amanda yesterday evening.

Now Raul gets down to work.

Strange.

What's that man up to?

Let's take a closer look.

White loop?

Blue ribbon?

One final step.

And the young kea is in good
hands, and can be ringed.

He doesn't wriggle or fight.

He just seems slightly puzzled.

The plumage is healthy
and looks fine.

Blood sample for
the genetic test.

And the service to science
is over in a jiffy.

Without haste, let alone
panic, the bird hops away.

Keas seem to enjoy
variety, passing

the time wherever they are,
fooling around and teasing

each other.

And in the absence of a partner,
then they play with toys.

This takes strength and energy.

But here, their
nutritious diet pays off.

Wonderfully tricky stoppers.

And that's how
you get them open.

Pure coincidence or
technical talent?

At the University
of Vienna, they

are asking exactly
this question.

How much technical understanding
does the kea possess?

[? Jula Gaidon ?] puts
the finishing touches

to the large new aviary.

It goes without saying
that his keas find

it extremely exciting.

They lend a hand where they can.

And they hold on firmly to
their rights, very firmly.

[SPEAKING GERMAN]

They have running water
and a swimming pool

where they can do
the backstroke.

And they even have their
very own rubber duck.

But they immediately
lose interest in all this

when Tulia comes
into the aviary.

Jula's wife seems to exert a
magical attraction on the keas.

Kermit is bewitched by
the scent of her skin.

He sniffs at her hair.

Again and again, they rub her
scent into their own feathers,

as if they want to
smell like Tulia.

But let's not get
too carried away.

This is a research
station, after all.

And today, bowling
will be investigated.

Eight crooked lanes, and
the peanut is the goal.

It is out of reach,
underneath the pane of glass.

Not even Raku can get at the
nut, however hard he stretches.

Only the bowling
balls are missing.

Somewhat slapdash
at first, but then.

There's no doubt about it.

Raku aims, throws,
and hits the target.

But now it gets more difficult.
Jula builds a pit trap.

The balls land in the pit.

Can Raku draw
conclusions from this?

Which of the two
nuts will he target?

Right choice, but a narrow miss.

He has passed the test without
any practice or training.

Keas understand more
about technology

than was long
considered possible.

And yet, despite
their intelligence,

the species is endangered
in New Zealand.

There may still be a
couple of thousand of them.

No one knows exactly.

They change their
territory too often,

and their breeding caves
become inaccessible.

Corey Mohsen is a
ranger, and constantly

on the move through
the wilderness.

On behalf of the
Department of Conservation,

he undertakes a
kind of kea count.

He checks in their
breeding caves

how many chicks they have.

He is not claustrophobic.

The narrower, the better.

Caves like this were once
completely safe for keas.

There were no predators
on the ground.

Today is different, as
Corey is about to find out.

Now he holds back.

He has heard something.

A kea mother with two chicks.

They are 10 days old,
feeding from beak to beak.

Now the other one, so
that neither misses out.

For what goes in, must come out.

They are raised for three
months, completely cut off

from the outside world.

There's still time
for another detour

to New Caledonia at
last, to the wise crows.

They are also social animals,
and everyone in the group

knows the value of a good tool.

You don't just go giving it
away, even under pressure.

If you want to fish, it's
best to make your own rod,

even if it takes
a bit of effort.

And everyone should have
learned how to use it--

annoy the maggots
until it bites.

But to reach Gavin's [INAUDIBLE]
rations, barbs are required.

Until the meat is
hanging on a hook.

A hand-made poking device.

But there was more
in their tool box.

The top tool that
Gavin encountered was--

will he finally see
what it can be used for,

and how it is made?

The crow in the pandanus
tree is obviously

looking for food,
quite unspectacular.

But then, as if it were the
most obvious thing in the world,

it chooses a leaf and sets about
producing our mysterious tool.

First, it rips off a thin strip.

This is the tip.

Slightly wider,
the middle piece.

And now the wide,
comfortable handle.

perfect.

A tool tailor made to get in
between the dense pandanus

leaves, to wheedle out
small snails or worms.

Gavin can hardly
believe his eyes.

It's as if the crow wanted to
put on a special show for him,

confident and well-thought-out.

But doesn't really
understand how a tool works?

The crows in Bavarian exile
deliver a convincing answer.

This log arouses their interest,
because Auguste has placed

special sandwiches in it.

Mealworms in pistachio shells.

Could pay off.

There are also tools,
skewers with flexible ends,

like pipe cleaners.

How mean.

It is the wrong tool.

Completely unsuitable.

Even though Agaios manages
to maneuver the nut upwards

with great skill,
there's no way it

will make it past this corner.

No chance.

Or is there?

It might work like this.

Brilliant!

Two at once.

Oops.

Back down to one again.

But he definitely
understands tools.

Back to the wilderness, to
the keas and their problems.

Corey is still going
from cave to cave,

but today is not a good day.

Man introduced predators,
such as weasels or possums

to New Zealand.

They turned this root
cave into a deadly trap.

A dead female kea.

Corey will examine it later
for bites and blood traces.

The brood was killed.

No one knows what
drama played out here.

Or do they?

A security camera was
mounted on the cave wall.

One can't make much out.

Shadowy outlines of the chicks.

Then, from below, a
predator, a stoat.

Panic in the dark cave.

The predator bites into
the throats of the chicks.

Martins were introduced from
England because of the rabbit

plague.

Australian possums
for their soft hide.

Now they threaten to
exterminate the keas.

What can be done?

Martin Genet works
for the government,

for the Department
of Conservation.

He is part of a kind
of kea rescue squad.

He gets dropped off in the
middle of the wilderness.

Now he's alone with
himself and his mission.

His goal is to help the keas
and deplete their enemies,

with the help of egg
cartons and the martin

traps which he sets all around.

These traps work like a
mouse trap, a narrow entrance

for the predators, and inside
a tempting chicken egg.

But getting to it is fatal.

The animal must
cross a metal plate.

And that releases
the cocked clamp.

In one fell swoop, the predators
perish without suffering.

Martin checks and
replaces the bait eggs.

He has been doing the
job for a long time,

and initially it was
the keas themselves

which thwarted his success.

Out of pure pleasure
in experimentation,

they managed time and
again to disarm the traps.

Even though the traps
weigh more than 9 kilos.

And that's how they got
their pure protein food.

The traps had to be
anchored or made heavier.

Thicker wood was
necessary, longer screws,

and the metal grid had to be
reinforced until the traps were

finally kea-proof.

But now Martin can't
believe his eyes.

This trap is untouched,
or so it seems.

Nevertheless, it has gone off.

And between the
eggshells are twigs.

Did the keas do this too?

Did they deliberately
stick twigs

through the mesh to
set the trap off?

Hardly likely.

Their beaks are far too crooked.

But there is
circumstantial evidence.

Here, twigs have
been broken off.

Nearby, martin
finds a kea feather.

And most importantly, he
finds more traps with sticks.

Do keas also use tools,
like New Caledonian crows?

It would be a
scientific sensation.

Perhaps the keas in Vienna may
shed some light on the subject.

However, right now
they are busy doing

the gardening for the aviary.

But that doesn't stop
them playing their games.

But now the time
has come for them

to participate in a
new comparison test.

Keas versus crows.

The rules are simple.

In the cube is a peanut.

All you've got to do
is get it out of there.

This can be done from any side
of the cube, but for each side,

one needs a different trick.

On this side, you have
to open a little door.

On the next side, there
is a hole through which

you can poke and so on.

Each bird can choose
where it wants to start.

This side seems the easiest,
because the nut is simply

attached to a string which
one can grab from the outside

and pull the knot out.

It's time to start.

Alice [INAUDIBLE] will
carry out the test.

And she sends the clever
Kermit into the competition.

As expected, he chooses the
string first, and pulls.

500 kilometers away,
Auguste von Bayern

carries out the same
test with her crows,

a kind of long distance jewel.

The only difference-- instead
of a nut, there's a meal worm.

Jungle the crow also
opts for the string.

That seems the
easiest for Jungle.

1-1, child's play
for both of them.

The next round will
be more difficult.

The string has been removed.

Another solution must be found.

Kermit takes a look.

Then he discovers
the door on one side.

He must be brave to
stick his head inside.

Just open it a bit wider.

Hey, presto.

Kermit goes into the lead.

And because he is on a run,
he looks for the next solution

straightaway.

Knock the peanut
down with the ball.

Wouldn't that be fantastic?

Unfortunately, it
is the wrong hole.

And out of sheer
frustration, he starts

to push the whole apparatus, and
gives it a really good shaking.

This obviously breaks the
rules, although it did actually

achieve the goal.

But the point is not
awarded, and another attempt

is ruled out.

Straight back to
Jungle the crow,

because he has also discovered
the hole in the sidewall.

And this tool crow knows
exactly what to do.

A stick will do the trick.

Both have twice found
the right solution.

All square.

But now Kermit locates the
correct inlet for the ball.

The spout leads to the nut.

Just have to shove
the darn thing in.

A nudge with his tongue, and
he goes back into the lead.

3-2.

Kermit senses victory.

He only needs to manage to do
what the crow found so easy--

push the stick through the hole.

His beak may be bent, but
his footwork is dazzling.

The first evidence that keas
can also systematically handle

sticks.

Pity that this hole is blocked.

Only the string works here.

Try as he might, nothing
else will crack it.

Swiftly back to
Jungle the crow, who

has also now discovered the
spout which leads directly

to the worms.

The ball's just the right thing.

Awesome.

Neck and neck, 3-3.

They both have
just one more task.

The crow must open the
door, swivel it to the side.

No mean feat, if you've
never opened a door before.

The door is open.

But put my head in there?

Me?

You've got to be kidding.

Kermit is still
wrestling with his stick.

For him, this is the greatest
challenge of them all.

It's the right opening, but
now the stick is jammed.

Drat.

Alice feels for him.

Kermit's bad luck gives
Jungle the chance to prevail.

And sure enough, he pulls it off
without even putting his head

at risk.

But right at that moment,
Kermit also finally succeeds.

Neither of them gave an inch.

Einsteins of the
bird population.

Where does this amazing
intelligence come from?

Why are keas so smart?

Not to mention New
Caledonian crows?

For a start, they
are social animals.

They live like us, in
groups and families.

And for that,
intelligence is required.

One must constantly
reckon with the others.

One must maintain
one's position.

One must keep on one's toes, and
be ready for surprise attacks.

Keas can be quite rambunctious,
but social intelligence

is also essential here.

It's about making
the right friends,

and nurturing friendships.

One needs to find partners to
play with, enjoy a bit of rough

and tumble without
hurting each other.

Now and then, invent
new alternatives.

And always go along with
what the partner wants.

Without intelligence, that
would hardly be possible.

But there's another
crucial element.

Just like us, these birds have
an unusually long childhood.

And that means time to learn, to
train the mind, and to develop.

Right from the outset, from
their time in the cave.

Games with sticks.

It's no different for the young
crows in the cloud forest.

They learn and practice for
an unusually long time, almost

two years to do things
like that old crow does.

First watch how mother does it.

She willingly leaves
them the poking stick.

A probing look.

The next generation seems
interested and eager to learn.

Only their stamina leaves
something to be desired.

Hardly has the
mother flown away,

and the stick is discarded.

This young bird has
found a pandanus tool.

However, if you hold it
the wrong way around,

with the wide handle down,
it won't get you very far.

On the contrary, the
tip causes problems.

So things can also go
wrong for young crows.

This one has yet to
learn, for example,

that not everything
that fits in the beak

is also good for poking.

No, that's not the way to do it.

Young keas also have to learn
from scratch, what you can eat

and what not, what drinks taste
good and which ones do not.

how snow feels and what you
can do with it, and so on.

They are crazy
about anything new,

and every experience
trains their mind.

They even test our mini-camera.

>> They make me
laugh all the time.

But mostly I'm just
fascinated by watching them.

They're always doing
something different.

They're always
exploring and trying

to see what happens
if they do this.

And in some way,
that's inspiring.

They're like little
scientists when

they're exploring and doing all
their different experiments,

if you like.

>> Their amazing desire to
learn and explore is the key

to their intelligence.

They want to find out how things
are connected and interact

with each other,
and how they can

use this for their own benefit.

In that respect, they're
almost irritatingly similar

to us, the high flyers from
the other side of the world.