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These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated: 1 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:05,570 COLIN FRIELS: Outback Australia... 2 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:09,685 .. it doesn't get much harsher than this. 3 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:12,684 (BIRDS SQUAWK) 4 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:18,965 Yet in the middle of the desolation, 5 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:23,688 thousands of cockatoos fly together in a raucous, defiant mob. 6 00:00:26,240 --> 00:00:29,403 They don't just survive - they thrive. 7 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:37,443 Stretching across the continent. 8 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:42,481 From the heat of the desert interior to gum tree country... 9 00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:46,327 .. and snow-covered mountains... 10 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:50,406 .. these outrageously colourful and cocky parrots 11 00:00:50,441 --> 00:00:51,925 have defied the odds... 12 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:55,969 .. making Australia the land of parrots. 13 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:10,244 Before Australia had deserts, rainforests covered the continent. 14 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:15,841 Today, just a few isolated patches remain. 15 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:23,765 These lush pockets survive 16 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:28,044 thanks to the tropical monsoons that sweep along the far north coast, 17 00:01:28,079 --> 00:01:30,964 bringing torrential rain. 18 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:40,445 In these forests, 19 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:43,848 a brilliant array of parrots adapted crafty beaks 20 00:01:43,883 --> 00:01:45,285 and dexterous toes 21 00:01:45,320 --> 00:01:48,085 to crack the rich bounty of seeds and fruit. 22 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:58,087 The tiniest of all, the fig-parrot, gorges on fruit bigger than its head. 23 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:03,485 The general rule for the blokes here 24 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:07,002 is to be as colourful as needs be to attract a mate 25 00:02:07,037 --> 00:02:09,606 without becoming a neon lure to predators. 26 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:13,490 The king-parrot is brash. 27 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:18,726 While the green feathers of the red-cheeked parrot 28 00:02:18,761 --> 00:02:20,210 blend into the foliage. 29 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:25,404 He relies on his sexy red head and bright beady eyes to get the girls. 30 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:35,582 But one of the most amazing birds in the world is the eclectus parrot, 31 00:02:35,617 --> 00:02:40,165 because it breaks virtually every rule in the evolutionary rule book. 32 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:44,180 The male is green, 33 00:02:44,215 --> 00:02:46,360 and the female, red. 34 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:57,364 So strikingly different are they 35 00:02:57,399 --> 00:02:58,805 that for a long time 36 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:01,286 people thought that the two must be separate species. 37 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:08,725 Scientist Rob Heinsohn 38 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:12,128 set out to discover the secrets of this rare creature. 39 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:18,289 ROB: Eclectus parrots are the pinnacle of parrot evolution. 40 00:03:18,324 --> 00:03:21,925 Their colouration has gone into uncharted waters. 41 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:25,526 They are so different, and I just needed to know why. 42 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:31,250 (BIRDS SQUAWK) OK. 43 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:33,845 Well, I've disturbed them now, 44 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:36,929 but I had to do that just to see if they were occupying the hollows. 45 00:03:36,964 --> 00:03:39,526 And one did indeed come out of one of the hollows, 46 00:03:39,561 --> 00:03:41,685 so that's a very good sign at this stage. 47 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:43,804 And it does mean that it's worth putting a line up 48 00:03:43,839 --> 00:03:45,889 and climbing the tree and having a closer look. 49 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:51,165 FRIELS: But there was just one problem... 50 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:53,851 ROB: I have a terrible, terrible fear of heights. 51 00:03:53,886 --> 00:03:55,645 I was getting dizzier by the moment, 52 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:58,047 but I was also driven by an incredible desire 53 00:03:58,082 --> 00:03:59,883 to see what was inside those hollows. 54 00:03:59,918 --> 00:04:01,325 So I overcame that fear. 55 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:04,409 I forced myself to stay steady on the rope and to keep climbing. 56 00:04:04,444 --> 00:04:05,925 Hey, Lindsay, we've got eggs. 57 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:07,365 MAN: Oh, fantastic. 58 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:10,025 That's absolutely fantastic. It means they're breeding again. 59 00:04:10,060 --> 00:04:12,651 I'll just go up to the other hole and see how they're doing. 60 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:17,685 I went up 15m, 20m, 25m, 61 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:20,371 and finally I reached the nest hole I was looking for. 62 00:04:20,406 --> 00:04:22,445 I reached inside, had a look inside, 63 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:25,165 and there were two beautiful little chicks. 64 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:30,445 (PARROT SQUAWKS LOUDLY) 65 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:32,244 Yeah, we've got chicks in here. 66 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:33,730 Oh, they're beautiful too. 67 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:36,165 FRIELS: For the last eight years, 68 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:39,966 Rob has studied the female and all her chicks that live in this hollow. 69 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:47,322 He measures and marks each one and monitors their growth. 70 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:55,060 This doesn't seem to upset the chicks 71 00:04:55,095 --> 00:04:57,401 or stop their mum from nurturing them. 72 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:11,490 ROB: Our number one female, our star performer, 73 00:05:11,525 --> 00:05:13,825 she's just done what she typically does, 74 00:05:13,860 --> 00:05:16,085 is produces healthy little guys like this. 75 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:19,681 They get a very good start for their long life in the rainforest. 76 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:28,482 FRIELS: A good hollow is hard to find. 77 00:05:28,517 --> 00:05:31,244 And the female guards hers fiercely. 78 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:37,568 ROB: We've spent a lot of time just watching her at the nest hollow. 79 00:05:38,840 --> 00:05:40,365 We built hides in neighbouring trees 80 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:43,062 and we spent a lot of time in the treetops. 81 00:05:43,097 --> 00:05:45,725 And we just watch the female's behaviour. 82 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:47,685 (BIRD SQUAWKS ) 83 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:51,441 FRIELS: Rob's favourite female is not taking any chances with her hollow 84 00:05:51,476 --> 00:05:54,808 and doesn't budge for the entire 9- month breeding season. 85 00:05:56,880 --> 00:05:59,884 She is totally reliant on the male to bring her food. 86 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:03,445 ROB: A bit like Meals on Wheels. 87 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:06,020 She's acting like an invalid, staying at home. 88 00:06:06,055 --> 00:06:08,560 The males are out there doing all of the work. 89 00:06:08,595 --> 00:06:10,165 Coming and going all day long, 90 00:06:10,200 --> 00:06:12,885 purely for the right to regurgitate some food to her. 91 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:16,724 And, of course, they're hoping to get sex in return. 92 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:22,802 FRIELS: But this female wasn't just being attended by one male. 93 00:06:22,837 --> 00:06:25,525 She was getting lots of attention. 94 00:06:25,560 --> 00:06:29,007 In fact, seven males were lining up to feed her. 95 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:35,245 And she was mating with all of them. 96 00:06:35,280 --> 00:06:38,762 ROB: And we worked out that this was, in a way, a form of trickery. 97 00:06:38,797 --> 00:06:40,565 She was trying to give them the idea 98 00:06:40,600 --> 00:06:42,887 that they all had a chance of being the dads. 99 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:48,288 And that would give them extra incentive 100 00:06:48,323 --> 00:06:50,248 to go off and find the food. 101 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:54,480 FRIELS: But the DNA tests on the chicks' feathers 102 00:06:54,515 --> 00:06:56,050 reveal something astonishing. 103 00:06:57,360 --> 00:07:00,967 Of the 24 young she's produced in the last eight years, 104 00:07:01,002 --> 00:07:04,282 19 are from the same superstud male. 105 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:09,445 To complete the picture, 106 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:13,280 Rob wanted to know how far the males were going on their feeding trips. 107 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:19,127 ROB: We captured a whole lot of males and we put transmitters on their tails. 108 00:07:19,162 --> 00:07:21,725 We mounted aerials on the wings of the plane, 109 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:25,242 and we set out and followed them across country from the sky. 110 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:29,460 FRIELS: Incredibly, the lovesick male gathered food 111 00:07:29,495 --> 00:07:32,561 from a home range of up to 100 square kilometres. 112 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:45,727 ROB: It also turned out that he was attending more than one female. 113 00:07:45,762 --> 00:07:48,445 And some of them had three or four different females 114 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:51,211 that they were visiting and feeding, and, indeed, mating with. 115 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:54,445 So, by following them around the landscape, 116 00:07:54,480 --> 00:07:58,451 we actually caught them out playing a little mating game of their own. 117 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:01,525 FRIELS: After visiting their girlfriends, 118 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:04,609 the males fly back to Rob's favourite female. 119 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:09,563 ROB: The males often come back to the nest tree at the same time. 120 00:08:09,598 --> 00:08:12,450 And when that happens, there's a lot of argy-bargy. 121 00:08:12,485 --> 00:08:15,444 (BIRDS SQUAWK) 122 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:19,525 FRIELS: With such different lifestyles, 123 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:23,360 the huge colour difference between the sexes makes a lot of sense. 124 00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:29,125 ROB: The male's green - 125 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:31,045 very important for them to remain camouflaged 126 00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:34,129 when they go across country getting food from the fruiting trees. 127 00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:38,010 Males seem to use the red under their wings very judiciously 128 00:08:38,045 --> 00:08:39,490 to get the female's attention. 129 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:42,765 In contrast, the female's red 130 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:46,365 is the very conspicuous, long-distance signal. 131 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:48,926 She shines like a beacon, but screams at other birds, 132 00:08:48,961 --> 00:08:50,565 especially females - 133 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:53,165 “Keep away, this hollow is occupied. 134 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:55,771 “Don't bother coming near because I will beat you up. ” 135 00:08:55,806 --> 00:08:58,809 FRIELS: No other bird in the world mates like this. 136 00:09:01,680 --> 00:09:03,125 It's a sex strategy 137 00:09:03,160 --> 00:09:05,845 that's been perfected over an incredibly long time 138 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:07,683 in these ancient forests. 139 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:12,325 While the eclectus were doing their thing, 140 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:15,011 elsewhere on the continent dramatic changes gave rise 141 00:09:15,046 --> 00:09:17,367 to a whole new range of parrots. 142 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:23,485 Millions of years ago, 143 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:26,330 most of Australia's rainforests gradually dried 144 00:09:26,365 --> 00:09:28,641 and became open woodlands. 145 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:35,600 Many parrots were able to adapt to the new and tougher conditions. 146 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:43,965 To survive on the desert edge, 147 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:48,767 red-tailed black-cockatoos stick to the few tree-lined watercourses. 148 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:56,010 As the sun drops, the birds arrive from all directions. 149 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:05,010 With breeding hollows scarce, most of these cookies are single. 150 00:10:05,045 --> 00:10:08,325 The local watering hole is their pick-up joint, 151 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:11,682 and the evening quickly turns into a boisterous party. 152 00:10:11,717 --> 00:10:14,684 (BIRDS SQUAWK) 153 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:20,364 Younger birds flirt by displaying the colour banding on their tails 154 00:10:20,399 --> 00:10:22,281 and erecting their crests. 155 00:10:22,316 --> 00:10:24,125 These fancy pop-up crests 156 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:27,243 are what distinguish cockatoos from the other parrots. 157 00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:32,644 (BIRDS SQUAWK) 158 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:40,943 These opportunistic cookies thrived 159 00:10:40,978 --> 00:10:43,166 and spread out as the continent dried. 160 00:10:45,680 --> 00:10:47,485 During the last ice age, 161 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:51,127 winds lashed the land and heaped sand into vast dunes. 162 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:01,606 Grasses and shrubs spread across the desert, 163 00:11:01,641 --> 00:11:03,489 producing an abundance of seeds. 164 00:11:10,760 --> 00:11:13,809 The galahs were quick to take advantage of the new foods. 165 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:16,645 They were not fussy eaters, 166 00:11:16,680 --> 00:11:20,446 and went just about everywhere eating almost anything. 167 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:26,611 Today, there's barely a patch of Australia 168 00:11:26,646 --> 00:11:28,443 without these extroverted cookies. 169 00:11:32,520 --> 00:11:36,366 But the opportunistic galahs were not the only ones to try new foods. 170 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:40,965 The less common Major Mitchell cockatoos 171 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:44,800 have recently acquired a taste for paddymelons. 172 00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:54,845 These inquisitive birds have little trouble 173 00:11:54,880 --> 00:11:57,406 working out some fancy footwork to break into the fruit. 174 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:05,726 Their new cuisine arrived as part of an exotic smorgasbord. 175 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:15,210 150 years ago, cattlemen pushed their way to the desert centre. 176 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:18,525 And wherever they went, 177 00:12:18,560 --> 00:12:22,121 they brought a whole range of new opportunities for parrots to exploit. 178 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:34,661 Paddymelons were introduced to feed the camels of the Afghan traders 179 00:12:34,696 --> 00:12:38,362 as they travelled the outback supplying the isolated properties. 180 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:44,606 It was a tough life for the early pioneers. 181 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:48,651 And frequent droughts made it hard to make a living. 182 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:54,485 Adding to the farmers' woes, 183 00:12:54,520 --> 00:12:57,524 the cockatoos soon worked out that where there was stock... 184 00:13:02,560 --> 00:13:04,721 .. there was stockfeed. 185 00:13:04,756 --> 00:13:06,845 All this free fast food 186 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:09,929 made life pretty cushy for generations of cockatoos 187 00:13:09,964 --> 00:13:11,604 and their numbers boomed. 188 00:13:11,639 --> 00:13:14,604 (BIRDS SQUAWK) 189 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:24,447 And the good times kept on rolling for the cockatoos and parrots... 190 00:13:25,880 --> 00:13:29,680 .. when the settlers found underground water and pumped it to the surface. 191 00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:44,688 Man-made waterholes helped parrots spread and survive 192 00:13:44,723 --> 00:13:46,284 where they couldn't have done before. 193 00:13:50,760 --> 00:13:52,285 Ringneck parrots... 194 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:55,490 .. budgerigars... 195 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:04,050 .. pale-headed rosellas all come in to drink in family groups. 196 00:14:05,520 --> 00:14:08,565 Mulga parrots can live in waterless areas 197 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:11,570 but no-one in the outback turns down a free drink. 198 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:24,810 Rain rarely falls in the Australian deserts. 199 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:29,521 Droughts can last for over a decade. 200 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:39,769 Waterholes turn to mud... 201 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:50,046 .. leaving a freshwater crayfish exposed... 202 00:14:51,400 --> 00:14:53,050 .. and an easy target. 203 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:13,770 The wildlife has adapted to survive the times 204 00:15:13,805 --> 00:15:15,842 when the rivers vanish into puddles... 205 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:23,643 .. and the dams are turned to cracked and useless crusts. 206 00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:35,768 The air crackles in the heat. 207 00:15:37,520 --> 00:15:39,602 Crops are wiped from the earth. 208 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:50,210 And the parched interior waits for rains that never seem to come. 209 00:15:56,360 --> 00:15:58,942 The first sign that the drought might break 210 00:15:58,977 --> 00:16:01,525 can be a warming of the western Pacific Ocean. 211 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:06,846 Cyclones form by sucking up heat and moisture from the sea 212 00:16:06,881 --> 00:16:09,161 as they power in towards the coast. 213 00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:20,565 Winds of up to 250km/h shred the shoreline. 214 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:27,525 As the cyclone heads inland, 215 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:31,087 it weakens and turns into a huge rain depression. 216 00:16:33,320 --> 00:16:35,687 The deluge sweeps thousands of kilometres 217 00:16:35,722 --> 00:16:38,001 across the centre of the continent. 218 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:48,885 And cockatiels celebrate with a rain dance. 219 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:52,765 (BIRDS SQUAWK) 220 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:57,203 Within hours, every riverbed fills with life-giving water. 221 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:07,130 The torrent charges through the narrow gorges of the ranges 222 00:17:07,165 --> 00:17:09,122 eroding the land. 223 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:19,729 Ribbons of nourishment snake across the continent 224 00:17:19,764 --> 00:17:21,927 towards the parched centre. 225 00:17:36,760 --> 00:17:38,205 In the Channel Country, 226 00:17:38,240 --> 00:17:42,086 the creeks fan out across previously barren flood plains. 227 00:17:46,600 --> 00:17:50,400 And for a brief time the desert is given the kiss of life. 228 00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:04,771 In a flash, desert plants produce vast quantities of seed. 229 00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:14,326 Somehow waterbirds sense the transformation 230 00:18:14,361 --> 00:18:16,448 and travel vast distances. 231 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:24,380 Fish breed up in the newly formed lakes 232 00:18:24,415 --> 00:18:26,761 providing a feast for growing cormorants. 233 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:38,927 Brolgas arrive in Search of the roots of sedges. 234 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:46,604 (BIRDS SQUAWK) 235 00:18:56,560 --> 00:18:58,765 And when native grasses start to seed, 236 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:03,283 the scene is set for the arrival of the stars of the Australian desert... 237 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:07,410 .. the budgerigar. 238 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:10,885 We keep them in cages, 239 00:19:10,920 --> 00:19:14,543 but in the wild, budgies roam the vast outback. 240 00:19:14,578 --> 00:19:18,166 When it rains, flocks swoop in from everywhere. 241 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:22,321 No-one knows how they navigate. 242 00:19:22,356 --> 00:19:23,765 Perhaps they home in on 243 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:25,928 the low-frequency sounds of thunderstorms 244 00:19:25,963 --> 00:19:27,524 thousands of miles away. 245 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:36,641 Their aim is to breed furiously while the conditions are right. 246 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:42,205 Along the gorges of the Central Ranges, 247 00:19:42,240 --> 00:19:46,006 every tree hollow is alive with the flutterings of courtship. 248 00:19:46,041 --> 00:19:48,965 (BIRDS cl-CHIRP) 249 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:51,241 The river bank is perfect for a dinner date. 250 00:20:00,880 --> 00:20:02,405 In the budgie mating game, 251 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:05,405 you need to be camouflaged while feeding on the ground, 252 00:20:05,440 --> 00:20:08,370 but still spunky enough to impress a potential mate. 253 00:20:10,560 --> 00:20:12,722 And the way budgies see each ether's feathers 254 00:20:12,757 --> 00:20:14,848 is different to the way we see them. 255 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:22,365 We see in red, green and blue. 256 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:24,687 But budgies have a fourth cell in their eye 257 00:20:24,722 --> 00:20:27,445 that enables them to see ultraviolet. 258 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:32,049 When UV rays hit some parts of the budgie's plumage, 259 00:20:32,084 --> 00:20:33,883 they give off a reflective glow. 260 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:42,891 It's a fair bet the female will choose the brightest, sexiest male. 261 00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:53,087 Especially if he can fight too. 262 00:20:53,122 --> 00:20:56,084 (BIRDS SQUAWK) 263 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:19,405 With his rival dispatched, 264 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:22,091 the male can now get down to the serious business 265 00:21:22,126 --> 00:21:23,570 of wooing the female. 266 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:31,888 Not only do budgies have highly reflective UV markings... 267 00:21:32,880 --> 00:21:35,850 .. some parts of their plumage actually become fluorescent. 268 00:21:37,440 --> 00:21:39,727 Their necks and heads in particular. 269 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:46,445 The feathers don't lie. 270 00:21:46,480 --> 00:21:51,281 To make sexy feathers, the male must be healthy and parasite-free. 271 00:21:51,316 --> 00:21:56,366 These markings announce, “My genes are great. Choose me. ” 272 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:14,129 And if she does, he treats her to a slap-up meal 273 00:22:14,164 --> 00:22:16,327 by regurgitating food into her mouth. 274 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:27,383 Over a few days, she'll lay about six eggs 275 00:22:27,418 --> 00:22:29,767 that will hatch in just a couple of weeks. 276 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:38,569 She feeds her blind, naked chicks a rich milk-like liquid. 277 00:22:38,604 --> 00:22:40,369 They grow rapidly. 278 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:54,284 Within 12 days their wing feathers come through. 279 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:03,885 And after only four weeks, 280 00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:05,922 they're almost ready to leave the nest. 281 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:15,004 Incredibly, these chicks will be ready to breed 282 00:23:15,039 --> 00:23:17,643 in just 60 days after hatching. 283 00:23:17,678 --> 00:23:20,205 It's a superquick turnaround 284 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:22,925 to get the young out of the nest while the going is good. 285 00:23:29,400 --> 00:23:31,687 But it could all be over in an instant. 286 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:38,726 At two metres, the perentie is Australia's largest lizard. 287 00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:59,004 (BIRDS SQUAWK) 288 00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:06,085 A tireless predator, it covers great distances in search of food. 289 00:24:20,360 --> 00:24:22,445 The perentie tracks its prey by sight 290 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:26,041 and by detecting scent molecules that it picks up on its tongue. 291 00:24:51,720 --> 00:24:53,245 (BIRDS SQUAWK) 292 00:24:58,320 --> 00:25:01,210 In the air, they're not nearly so vulnerable. 293 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:39,845 Synchronised squadrons fly low between the mulga trees. 294 00:25:39,880 --> 00:25:43,771 The colours on their backs camouflage them against the grasses. 295 00:25:56,560 --> 00:26:00,326 Where the budgies go, the birds of prey follow. 296 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:29,288 What the hunter is looking for is a weak link. 297 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:04,890 But it's not always life and death for Australia's parrots. 298 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:09,970 Galahs seem to have plenty of time for clowning around. 299 00:27:36,360 --> 00:27:39,605 In some years, budgies breed up into such numbers 300 00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:43,247 that they become, for a time, Australia's most numerous parrot. 301 00:27:57,720 --> 00:28:00,849 Accounts by early settlers tell of flocks so big 302 00:28:00,884 --> 00:28:02,569 that they blackened the sky. 303 00:28:29,720 --> 00:28:32,485 But the good times can only last for so long. 304 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:37,883 And as the country dries out again, breeding comes to a halt. 305 00:28:40,800 --> 00:28:44,725 Having raised several generations, the budgies disperse, 306 00:28:44,760 --> 00:28:46,768 resuming their nomadic life in the desert 307 00:28:46,803 --> 00:28:49,286 waiting for the next big rains. 308 00:28:53,480 --> 00:28:54,970 Whenever that may be. 309 00:29:05,960 --> 00:29:09,005 In contrast to the unpredictable droughts of the interior, 310 00:29:09,040 --> 00:29:13,090 the seasons along the southern edge of Australia are far more regular. 311 00:29:15,960 --> 00:29:19,005 In winter, Antarctic blasts of cold air 312 00:29:19,040 --> 00:29:21,646 bring snow to Australia's highest mountains. 313 00:29:27,680 --> 00:29:29,762 Wombats can forage in any weather. 314 00:29:34,800 --> 00:29:37,125 But it's not great weather for parrots. 315 00:29:37,160 --> 00:29:41,370 There is one that manages to survive above the snowline. 316 00:29:43,560 --> 00:29:48,361 Green rosellas fuel up on alpine berries against the winter blizzards. 317 00:29:59,240 --> 00:30:03,802 Down at sea level, the cold fronts bring gale-force winds. 318 00:30:03,837 --> 00:30:05,290 Great for surfers... 319 00:30:06,640 --> 00:30:08,768 .. treacherous for almost anything else. 320 00:30:13,320 --> 00:30:14,805 If you're a rock parrot, 321 00:30:14,840 --> 00:30:17,571 you must learn to like your plants heavily salted. 322 00:30:25,000 --> 00:30:27,810 Living in the salt-spray zone is not an easy life, 323 00:30:27,845 --> 00:30:30,326 but these hardy parrots are battlers. 324 00:30:35,720 --> 00:30:39,088 Things get a little easier in the nearby coastal heath. 325 00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:43,880 This environment is richer, attracting gang-gang cockatoos. 326 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:51,165 Like most cockatoos, gang-gangs are left-footed, 327 00:30:51,200 --> 00:30:55,489 gripping onto their wind-blown perch with their right leg, 328 00:30:55,524 --> 00:30:57,801 while holding the seed pod with their left. 329 00:31:11,000 --> 00:31:14,125 Yellow-tailed black-cockatoos also favour their left foot 330 00:31:14,160 --> 00:31:18,051 when tackling the large seed-bearing cones of the banksia tree. 331 00:31:20,680 --> 00:31:23,684 It's a tricky operation that combines brute force 332 00:31:23,719 --> 00:31:25,925 to slice through the tough exterior, 333 00:31:25,960 --> 00:31:30,887 and a delicate touch to extract and shell the seeds that lie within. 334 00:31:37,320 --> 00:31:40,642 But the very plants that these parrots need to survive 335 00:31:40,677 --> 00:31:42,961 must be burnt in order to regenerate. 336 00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:48,725 All this takes is a thunderstorm. 337 00:31:48,760 --> 00:31:51,724 (THUNDER RUMBLES) 338 00:31:58,400 --> 00:32:01,961 And the Australian bush burns astonishingly fiercely. 339 00:32:03,960 --> 00:32:07,931 Banksia fruits need intense heat to release their seeds. 340 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:12,604 Hakea cones split. 341 00:32:15,600 --> 00:32:17,728 Gumnuts drop to the forest floor. 342 00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:30,641 Oil in the eucalyptus leaves is as explosive as petrol. 343 00:32:40,760 --> 00:32:43,843 No other continent burns so dramatically as Australia. 344 00:32:50,120 --> 00:32:53,090 Some fires consume millions of hectares. 345 00:32:56,200 --> 00:32:57,690 But within hours... 346 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:01,521 .. currawongs are poking through the ashes. 347 00:33:04,840 --> 00:33:08,049 And crimson rosellas that survived the inferno 348 00:33:08,084 --> 00:33:10,771 are feasting on roasted eucalypt seeds. 349 00:33:20,760 --> 00:33:24,810 Just a few days later eucalypts sprout green shoots. 350 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:38,321 Within a few years the forests recover. 351 00:33:48,600 --> 00:33:50,365 And there's plenty of food. 352 00:33:50,400 --> 00:33:53,882 So it's time for crimson rosellas to start breeding again. 353 00:33:57,720 --> 00:33:59,325 With their bright plumage, 354 00:33:59,360 --> 00:34:02,364 parrots seem to be screaming out to potential predators, 355 00:34:02,399 --> 00:34:04,362 “Free food - come and get it. ” 356 00:34:07,240 --> 00:34:11,086 But whether you're a budgie, an eclectus, a rosella, 357 00:34:11,121 --> 00:34:12,565 or just about any other parrot, 358 00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:16,047 you have to take colourful risks in the mating game. 359 00:34:35,760 --> 00:34:38,843 Sometimes you can have the best of both worlds. 360 00:34:40,120 --> 00:34:41,965 These gaudy birds are, in fact, 361 00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:45,891 safely camouflaged by their leaf-like shape and green backs. 362 00:34:56,440 --> 00:34:59,603 Although they haven't quite mastered a disguise 363 00:34:59,638 --> 00:35:01,090 for the Australian suburbs. 364 00:35:03,000 --> 00:35:04,445 Ever since Australians 365 00:35:04,480 --> 00:35:06,608 started planting native trees in their cities, 366 00:35:06,643 --> 00:35:08,090 food is laid on. 367 00:35:10,680 --> 00:35:13,604 And parrots happily accept the invitation. 368 00:35:18,880 --> 00:35:21,360 Some overstay their welcome. 369 00:35:21,395 --> 00:35:23,805 With too much time on its hands, 370 00:35:23,840 --> 00:35:26,411 this cockatoo gets stuck into an electric insulator. 371 00:35:31,800 --> 00:35:35,486 While the maniacal corella will attack everything in its path. 372 00:35:37,760 --> 00:35:39,250 Even bitumen road. 373 00:35:42,360 --> 00:35:45,125 And then the neighbour's lawn. 374 00:35:47,360 --> 00:35:48,965 But such destructiveness is minor 375 00:35:49,000 --> 00:35:51,241 compared with what they do to farmers. 376 00:35:55,000 --> 00:35:58,129 And the cockatoos love the modern cropping practices. 377 00:36:07,000 --> 00:36:10,129 A generation ago, Lakeland was open to intensive farming. 378 00:36:14,840 --> 00:36:17,525 It was ideal country for maize and peanuts. 379 00:36:18,520 --> 00:36:20,205 And as the crops grew, 380 00:36:20,240 --> 00:36:22,288 the sulphur-crested cockatoos moved in. 381 00:36:40,760 --> 00:36:45,402 In just a week the birds can inflict tens of thousands of dollars damage 382 00:36:45,437 --> 00:36:47,767 to the maize of farmer Darryn Hoskins. 383 00:36:47,802 --> 00:36:49,205 (Darryn whistles) Suzie. 384 00:36:49,240 --> 00:36:51,725 DARRYN: The numbers have bred up over the years. 385 00:36:51,760 --> 00:36:54,650 The main reason for that is 'cause in their natural habitat 386 00:36:54,685 --> 00:36:57,610 they haven't got a good amount of food all year round. 387 00:36:57,645 --> 00:36:59,685 Where, in the valley here in Lakeland, 388 00:36:59,720 --> 00:37:02,805 even in the driest part of the year, in August, September, 389 00:37:02,840 --> 00:37:06,606 when it's extremely dry, there's still crop residue on the ground. 390 00:37:06,641 --> 00:37:09,885 And the birds have got a feed all year round. 391 00:37:09,920 --> 00:37:13,003 With that they can continue to breed 12 months of the year, 392 00:37:13,038 --> 00:37:14,445 no problems at all. 393 00:37:14,480 --> 00:37:17,927 There's food and there's water here on hand, so they've got it laid on. 394 00:37:17,962 --> 00:37:19,410 They think it's terrific. 395 00:37:21,080 --> 00:37:22,764 FRIELS: When they've finished with the maize, 396 00:37:22,799 --> 00:37:24,723 the cookies head for the peanut fields 397 00:37:24,758 --> 00:37:26,647 where they pick apart the hay bales. 398 00:37:26,682 --> 00:37:29,644 (BIRDS SQUAWK) 399 00:37:36,080 --> 00:37:38,651 Red-tailed black-cockatoos join in the fun. 400 00:37:48,600 --> 00:37:50,921 So, how does the farmer try and control them? 401 00:37:50,956 --> 00:37:53,205 DARRYN: Basically, just driving around 402 00:37:53,240 --> 00:37:56,765 and shooting at 'em with a high-powered rifle. 403 00:37:56,800 --> 00:38:00,904 Just the noise alone is enough to scare 'em, or even toot the horn. 404 00:38:00,939 --> 00:38:05,008 But it's a full-time job for two, three months of the year nonstop. 405 00:38:06,840 --> 00:38:09,203 Basically, all you're doing is just driving around 406 00:38:09,238 --> 00:38:11,567 following the cockatoos from one paddock to another 407 00:38:11,602 --> 00:38:13,005 until the day warms up. 408 00:38:13,040 --> 00:38:16,567 It gets too warm for 'em, so they go back and roost in the trees. 409 00:38:16,602 --> 00:38:19,404 Then they come back again and commence their feeding. 410 00:38:19,439 --> 00:38:21,402 Then we commence to chasing again. 411 00:38:21,437 --> 00:38:24,364 Which is bloody annoying. 412 00:38:24,399 --> 00:38:27,291 (Cocks gun and fires) 413 00:38:32,840 --> 00:38:35,844 (BIRDS SQUAWK) 414 00:38:44,840 --> 00:38:46,808 FRIELS: Further south, in the wheat country, 415 00:38:46,843 --> 00:38:48,450 it's a different cockatoo. 416 00:38:49,440 --> 00:38:50,930 But it's the same story. 417 00:38:54,480 --> 00:38:58,690 In small doses, little corellas are a delightful and entertaining bird. 418 00:39:04,360 --> 00:39:07,443 But when flocks of up to 30,000 marauding birds 419 00:39:07,478 --> 00:39:09,005 descend on your harvest, 420 00:39:09,040 --> 00:39:12,931 well, you can understand why a farmer might be a little upset. 421 00:39:15,120 --> 00:39:19,364 The grain is stored in giant bunkers and protected by thick canvas. 422 00:39:19,399 --> 00:39:22,284 But the canvas is no match for their sharp beaks. 423 00:39:38,280 --> 00:39:40,205 And having feasted on the main course, 424 00:39:40,240 --> 00:39:43,323 it's off to the nearest vineyard for a spot of dessert. 425 00:39:53,240 --> 00:39:56,965 For lychee farmers, rainbow Lorikeets are the enemy. 426 00:39:57,000 --> 00:39:59,844 The farmers spend every daylight hour patrolling their orchard 427 00:39:59,879 --> 00:40:01,729 to keep the birds at bay. 428 00:40:07,920 --> 00:40:11,720 Like children with cupcakes, they take a bite from each one, 429 00:40:11,755 --> 00:40:13,484 spoiling them for everybody else. 430 00:40:24,200 --> 00:40:28,364 For the farmer, it's a race to see who gets to the ripest fruit first. 431 00:40:33,760 --> 00:40:35,250 And the birds are winning. 432 00:40:37,400 --> 00:40:40,370 But not all farmers are at war with parrots. 433 00:40:44,400 --> 00:40:46,205 A Queensland cattle station 434 00:40:46,240 --> 00:40:49,961 has become an unlikely refuge for a rare turquoise beauty... 435 00:40:51,600 --> 00:40:53,728 .. the golden-shouldered parrot. 436 00:40:59,400 --> 00:41:02,085 Last century, bird fanciers trapped these prized parrots 437 00:41:02,120 --> 00:41:03,730 and robbed their nests. 438 00:41:05,960 --> 00:41:09,123 This plunder left the species hanging on by a thread. 439 00:41:13,120 --> 00:41:14,805 To make matters worse, 440 00:41:14,840 --> 00:41:18,811 these picky parrots have very particular lifestyle requirements. 441 00:41:20,800 --> 00:41:24,805 For a start, a broody couple need an airconditioned termite mound 442 00:41:24,840 --> 00:41:26,564 to burrow into and make a nest. 443 00:41:30,720 --> 00:41:33,690 They've made Sue Shephard's cattle property home. 444 00:41:39,400 --> 00:41:41,883 And every breeding season for 30 years 445 00:41:41,918 --> 00:41:44,367 she's been riding hundreds of kilometres 446 00:41:44,402 --> 00:41:46,328 checking every mound for chicks. 447 00:41:56,000 --> 00:41:57,525 In half the occupied mounds, 448 00:41:57,560 --> 00:42:00,565 Sue has found the nest floor covered with a grub 449 00:42:00,600 --> 00:42:03,649 that is unique to the nests of golden-shouldered parrots. 450 00:42:07,480 --> 00:42:09,405 The grub belongs to a moth 451 00:42:09,440 --> 00:42:13,286 that synchronises the hatching of her babies with that of the chicks. 452 00:42:14,280 --> 00:42:16,404 The grubs eat the chicks' poo, 453 00:42:16,439 --> 00:42:18,528 which seems to suit everyone. 454 00:42:26,360 --> 00:42:29,250 Meanwhile, the chicks' parents go looking for food together. 455 00:42:32,800 --> 00:42:36,566 When they return, Dad flies to the mound to check that all is safe. 456 00:42:40,960 --> 00:42:43,770 (Chirps) 457 00:42:44,760 --> 00:42:47,081 And to let the young ones know that it's mealtime. 458 00:42:50,800 --> 00:42:53,963 He stands guard while the female comes down to feed the chicks. 459 00:42:58,000 --> 00:43:00,245 (CHICKS SQUAWK) 460 00:43:00,280 --> 00:43:04,365 An exhausting schedule when your chicks need four or five feeds a day. 461 00:43:19,360 --> 00:43:22,845 Dad's job is to coax the 5-week-old chicks 462 00:43:22,880 --> 00:43:26,771 out of their cosy nest and into the big, bad world. 463 00:43:43,960 --> 00:43:45,405 It's the dry season, 464 00:43:45,440 --> 00:43:47,568 which means it's hard for the young birds 465 00:43:47,603 --> 00:43:49,403 to find food in the thick grass. 466 00:43:50,960 --> 00:43:52,805 So Sue helps nature along, 467 00:43:52,840 --> 00:43:55,969 burning the bush and exposing the next meal. 468 00:44:14,400 --> 00:44:18,165 Sue's property is a haven for the golden-shouldered parrot, 469 00:44:18,200 --> 00:44:23,161 and her efforts may be the only thing standing between them and extinction. 470 00:44:30,960 --> 00:44:35,284 Even further north, in the remote woodlands of Cape York Peninsula, 471 00:44:35,319 --> 00:44:38,409 there's a parrot that's intrigued scientists for a century. 472 00:44:44,360 --> 00:44:48,160 Steve Murphy came here as a young biologist 10 years ago. 473 00:44:49,560 --> 00:44:52,085 His quest was to unlock the secrets 474 00:44:52,120 --> 00:44:55,727 of the world's most spectacular cockatoo - 475 00:44:55,762 --> 00:44:57,449 the palm cockatoo. 476 00:45:18,000 --> 00:45:20,264 Few people have ever seen this bird. 477 00:45:20,299 --> 00:45:22,528 STEVE: Look here. Here he comes. 478 00:45:25,360 --> 00:45:28,364 FRIELS: The palm cockatoo dates back tens of millions of years 479 00:45:28,399 --> 00:45:31,489 to when Australia was covered in rainforest. 480 00:45:31,524 --> 00:45:33,562 He's the grandaddy of them all. 481 00:45:36,080 --> 00:45:38,686 Little was known of this mysterious bird 482 00:45:38,721 --> 00:45:40,887 until Steve Murphy began his study. 483 00:45:45,960 --> 00:45:49,806 And the only way to find them in this rainforest is to mimic their calls. 484 00:45:49,841 --> 00:45:52,965 (Calls) 485 00:45:53,000 --> 00:45:55,207 (Squawks) (Squawks) 486 00:45:57,840 --> 00:46:00,320 (Mimics call) 487 00:46:00,355 --> 00:46:02,298 (Calls) 488 00:46:02,333 --> 00:46:04,241 (Whistles) 489 00:46:05,240 --> 00:46:06,730 (Whistles) 490 00:46:12,280 --> 00:46:15,807 STEVE: They've got a huge repertoire of calls that they use in display. 491 00:46:15,842 --> 00:46:17,805 (Calls) 492 00:46:17,840 --> 00:46:20,810 The 'hello' call they make is part of the display. 493 00:46:20,845 --> 00:46:22,725 It seems to be made almost as if 494 00:46:22,760 --> 00:46:25,570 they're saying hello to their partner 495 00:46:25,605 --> 00:46:27,722 or their neighbouring cockatoos. 496 00:46:31,160 --> 00:46:35,051 FRIELS: Unlike other cockatoos, palm cockatoos don't live in flocks. 497 00:46:36,360 --> 00:46:39,648 They pair up with a mate and seem to stick with them for life. 498 00:46:43,840 --> 00:46:47,245 And they can live for up to 90 years. 499 00:46:47,280 --> 00:46:52,366 One cockatoo in captivity had her first chick at 54. 500 00:46:57,920 --> 00:46:59,365 But to get the girl, 501 00:46:59,400 --> 00:47:00,965 the male must be a man of property 502 00:47:01,000 --> 00:47:03,367 with a portfolio of good nesting hollows. 503 00:47:03,402 --> 00:47:05,845 And if he wants any chance of mating, 504 00:47:05,880 --> 00:47:07,882 she must be persuaded that he's strong enough 505 00:47:07,917 --> 00:47:10,247 to build her several magnificent nests. 506 00:47:12,520 --> 00:47:15,604 STEVE: All the elements of a palm cockatoo display 507 00:47:15,639 --> 00:47:18,688 are designed to draw attention to that massive beak. 508 00:47:19,680 --> 00:47:22,286 The blushing of the cheek patch, the wing spreading - 509 00:47:22,321 --> 00:47:23,725 which makes them bigger - 510 00:47:23,760 --> 00:47:28,448 it's all designed to show other cockatoos that they're strong. 511 00:47:28,483 --> 00:47:32,047 And the pinnacle of their strength is in their beak. 512 00:47:33,080 --> 00:47:37,324 FRIELS: Essentially, he is trying to prove that he is a blue-chip investment, 513 00:47:37,359 --> 00:47:41,530 and that she can feel comfortable putting all her eggs in his basket. 514 00:47:49,680 --> 00:47:53,730 STEVE: They join up every morning and afternoon at these nest hollows. 515 00:47:56,360 --> 00:47:58,405 And they catch up on the day's events, 516 00:47:58,440 --> 00:48:01,728 and it really does sound like you're listening to 517 00:48:01,763 --> 00:48:03,882 an old married couple sometimes. 518 00:48:09,000 --> 00:48:10,490 I mean, the analogy continues. 519 00:48:10,525 --> 00:48:11,965 It's just like humans 520 00:48:12,000 --> 00:48:15,243 and the pride that humans have in their houses. 521 00:48:15,278 --> 00:48:17,163 Palm cockatoos are exactly the same. 522 00:48:21,520 --> 00:48:23,365 But the most amazing display of all 523 00:48:23,400 --> 00:48:27,022 is when males bring back to the nest a small stick. 524 00:48:27,057 --> 00:48:30,644 And they actually drum on the side of the nest. 525 00:48:32,960 --> 00:48:35,406 FRIELS: Maybe it's because palm cockatoos live so long 526 00:48:35,441 --> 00:48:37,801 that they have time to learn so much. 527 00:48:41,400 --> 00:48:44,125 But it's a rare thing anywhere in the animal world 528 00:48:44,160 --> 00:48:46,850 to see a tool being used quite this deliberately. 529 00:48:49,560 --> 00:48:51,445 STEVE: I think it's very likely 530 00:48:51,480 --> 00:48:54,324 that the female watches these drumming displays 531 00:48:54,359 --> 00:48:57,284 and can tell something about either the male 532 00:48:57,319 --> 00:49:00,209 or the nest tree at which he's performing. 533 00:49:02,000 --> 00:49:03,565 You know, there's something that she's picking up 534 00:49:03,600 --> 00:49:07,300 in the way that the drumming sound resonates inside the hollow. 535 00:49:07,335 --> 00:49:11,000 We don't really know, but, I mean, she watches very intently. 536 00:49:14,960 --> 00:49:18,089 FRIELS: The choosy males will try two or three different drumsticks 537 00:49:18,124 --> 00:49:20,890 before they settle on one that they really like. 538 00:49:31,040 --> 00:49:35,011 STEVE: When they actually perform the drumming display at the nest, 539 00:49:35,046 --> 00:49:36,684 it does seem to have a rhythm. 540 00:49:42,880 --> 00:49:44,325 But when he's finished with it, 541 00:49:44,360 --> 00:49:47,728 he'll often sit at the edge of the hollow and splinter up the stick 542 00:49:47,763 --> 00:49:50,371 and add it to the nesting platform that's inside the hollow. 543 00:49:52,000 --> 00:49:53,445 FRIELS: If the female is impressed, 544 00:49:53,480 --> 00:49:56,643 she will walk down and join him at the entrance of the nest 545 00:49:56,678 --> 00:49:58,847 to see if it's good enough to breed in. 546 00:50:05,600 --> 00:50:09,400 With the hollow approved, they can fly off to have a morning snack. 547 00:50:17,960 --> 00:50:20,770 The local birds gather at trees that are in fruit. 548 00:50:24,680 --> 00:50:28,380 STEVE: That really powerful beak that palm cockatoos have, 549 00:50:28,415 --> 00:50:32,081 which is by far the biggest beak of any of the cockatoos, 550 00:50:32,116 --> 00:50:35,365 it allows them to eat foods that other cockatoos 551 00:50:35,400 --> 00:50:38,722 and other animals in general just simply can't access. 552 00:50:41,120 --> 00:50:45,091 I think palm cockatoos are very intelligent. 553 00:50:46,200 --> 00:50:48,885 You've only gotta watch a pair courting at their nest, 554 00:50:48,920 --> 00:50:51,285 or a male fashioning a drumstick 555 00:50:51,320 --> 00:50:54,290 to realise that there is complicated thought 556 00:50:54,325 --> 00:50:56,328 going in that big head of theirs. 557 00:50:57,960 --> 00:51:02,090 FRIELS: Of course, these regal palm cockatoos are not the only clever ones. 558 00:51:03,080 --> 00:51:04,684 All parrots are smart. 559 00:51:06,200 --> 00:51:08,726 Whereas most birds only learn when they're young, 560 00:51:08,761 --> 00:51:11,365 parrots continue, through long lives, 561 00:51:11,400 --> 00:51:14,370 to accumulate knowledge and pass it on to their mob. 562 00:51:17,200 --> 00:51:21,171 Combine this brain power with their crafty beaks and agile toes, 563 00:51:21,206 --> 00:51:23,285 and it's almost as though parrots 564 00:51:23,320 --> 00:51:25,846 were preadapted for this changing continent. 565 00:51:28,800 --> 00:51:32,486 From the drying of the land to the arrival of Europeans, 566 00:51:32,521 --> 00:51:35,006 these brightest of birds have thrived. 567 00:51:36,120 --> 00:51:39,681 .. making Australia the land of parrots. 47534

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