Anterior forebrain pathway in parrots is necessary for producing learned vocalizations with individual signatures.

Parrots have enormous vocal imitation capacities and produce individually unique vocal signatures. Like songbirds, parrots have a nucleated neural song system with distinct anterior (AFP) and posterior forebrain pathways (PFP). To test if song systems of parrots and songbirds, which diverged over 50 million years ago, have a similar functional organization, we first established a neuroscience-compatible call-and-response behavioral paradigm to elicit learned contact calls in budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus). Using variational autoencoder-based machine learning methods, we show that contact calls within affiliated groups converge but that individuals maintain unique acoustic features, or vocal signatures, even after call convergence. Next, we transiently inactivated the outputs of AFP to test if learned vocalizations can be produced by the PFP alone. As in songbirds, AFP inactivation had an immediate effect on vocalizations, consistent with a premotor role. But in contrast to songbirds, where the isolated PFP is sufficient to produce stereotyped and acoustically normal vocalizations, isolation of the budgerigar PFP caused a degradation of call acoustic structure, stereotypy, and individual uniqueness. Thus, the contribution of AFP and the capacity of isolated PFP to produce learned vocalizations have diverged substantially between songbirds and parrots, likely driven by their distinct behavioral ecology and neural connectivity.

Association of S(+) ketamine, dexmedetomidine and butorphanol for chemical restraint in scarlet macaws (Ara macao) / Associação cetamina S(+), dexmedetomidina e butorfanol na contenção química de araracangas (Ara macao)

The present study aimed at assessing the effects of combining 20 mg/kg S(+) ketamine with 25 µg/kg dexmedetomidine and 0.4 mg/kg butorphanol on the physiological parameters and anesthetic recovery time and score of eight captive scarlet macaw (Ara macao) specimens. These specimens were captured at the Marabá Zoobotanic Foundation (Fundação Zoobotânica de Marabá), Pará, using butterfly and mist nets, and subsequently subjected to the proposed protocol. The following physiological parameters were evaluated: heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), saturation of peripheral oxygen (SpO2), body temperature (BT), and non-invasive blood pressure 5 min after drug administration (M0) and every 10 min thereafter (M1‒M5), with a total of 55 min of analysis of anesthetic effects. Glycemia was measured 5 min after drug administration and every 30 min thereafter. Anesthetic induction and recovery times were also determined. Among the parameters evaluated in this study, both HR and BT significantly decreased throughout the anesthetic period, with the lowest levels at 55 min after drug administration (M5). In contrast, RR did not significantly differ, and all animals remained stable, maintaining an RR close to a mean of 20 ± 8 cpm. Throughout the anesthetic period, SpO2was 92 ± 5%, with no significant difference. The birds remained under spontaneous ventilation and without oxygen supplementation. Systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressures remained stable, with no significant differences in any of these measurements. At M0 and M3, the glycemia decreased slightly, albeit with no significant difference justifying an adverse effect or even hypoglycemia. The anesthetic induction time, from M0 to decubitus, was 2.4 ± 0.7 min. The anesthetic recovery time, from M0 to effortless bipedal position and adequate phalangeal flexion, was 99.3 ± 32.4 min. The sedation was assessed as intense, and the anesthetic recovery was rated excellent in 62.5% and good in 37.5% of the animals.(AU)

O presente estudo objetivou avaliar os efeitos do uso da cetamina S(+) 20 mg/kg associada à dexmedetomidina 25 µg/kg e butorfanol 0,4 mg/kg sobre os parâmetros fisiológicos, tempo e qualidade da recuperação anestésica de araracangas (Ara macao). Foram utilizados oito espécimes de Ara macao cativas da Fundação Zoobotânica de Marabá, Pará. A captura foi realizada com o uso de puçá e rede de contenção e em seguida as aves foram submetidas ao protocolo proposto. Foram avaliados: frequência cardíaca, frequência respiratória, saturação parcial da oxihemoglobina (SpO2), temperatura corporal e pressão arterial não-invasiva a partir de 5 minutos após a aplicação dos fármacos (M0) e a cada 10 minutos seguintes (M1, M2, M3, M4 e M5), totalizando 55 minutos de contemplação dos efeitos anestésicos. A glicemia foi avaliada aos 5 minutos da aplicação dos fármacos e repetida após 30 minutos. Também foi determinado o tempo de indução e de recuperação. Dentre os parâmetros avaliados, a frequência cardíaca e a temperatura demonstraram queda estatisticamente significativa ao longo do período anestésico, ambas com os menores valores registrados aos 55 minutos após a aplicação dos fármacos (M5). A frequência respiratória não apresentou diferença estatística e todos os animais se mantiveram estáveis e com a frequência próxima a média de 20±8mpm. A saturação da oxihemoblobina (SpO2) ao longo do período anestésico foi de 92±5%, não houve diferença estatisticamente relevante, as aves permaneceram sob ventilação espontânea e sem suplementação de oxigênio. As pressões arteriais sistólica, diastólica e média, mantiveram-se estáveis e não houve diferença estatística para nenhuma dessas medidas. A glicemia, mensurada em M0 e M3 demonstrou queda discreta, sem diferença significativa capaz de justificar um efeito adverso ou mesmo hipoglicemia. O tempo de indução, desde aplicação dos anestésicos até o decúbito, foi de 2,4±0,7 minutos. O tempo de recuperação, compreendido desde a aplicação dos fármacos (M0) até a constatação da posição bipedal sem esforço e adequada flexão das falanges, foi de 99,3±32,4 minutos. A qualidade de sedação foi considerada intensa e a recuperação anestésica foi classificada como ótima para 62,5% e boa para 37,5% dos animais.(AU)

Self-care tooling innovation in a disabled kea (Nestor notabilis).

Tooling is associated with complex cognitive abilities, occurring most regularly in large-brained mammals and birds. Among birds, self-care tooling is seemingly rare in the wild, despite several anecdotal reports of this behaviour in captive parrots. Here, we show that Bruce, a disabled parrot lacking his top mandible, deliberately uses pebbles to preen himself. Evidence for this behaviour comes from five lines of evidence: (i) in over 90% of instances where Bruce picked up a pebble, he then used it to preen; (ii) in 95% of instances where Bruce dropped a pebble, he retrieved this pebble, or replaced it, in order to resume preening; (iii) Bruce selected pebbles of a specific size for preening rather than randomly sampling available pebbles in his environment; (iv) no other kea in his environment used pebbles for preening; and (v) when other individuals did interact with stones, they used stones of different sizes to those Bruce preened with. Our study provides novel and empirical evidence for deliberate self-care tooling in a bird species where tooling is not a species-specific behaviour. It also supports claims that tooling can be innovated based on ecological necessity by species with sufficiently domain-general cognition.

Kea (Nestor notabilis) fail a loose-string connectivity task.

Naïve individuals of some bird species can rapidly solve vertical string-pulling tasks with virtually no errors. This has led to various hypotheses being proposed which suggest that birds mentally simulate the effects of their actions on strings. A competing embodied cognition hypothesis proposes that this behaviour is instead modulated by perceptual-motor feedback loops, where feedback of the reward moving closer acts as an internal motivator for functional behaviours, such as pull-stepping. To date, the kea parrot has produced some of the best performances of any bird species at string-pulling tasks. Here, we tested the predictions of the four leading hypotheses for the cognition underpinning bird string-pulling by presenting kea with a horizontal connectivity task where only one of two loose strings was connected to the reward, both before and after receiving perceptual-motor feedback experience. We find that kea fail the connectivity task both before and after perceptual-motor feedback experience, suggesting not only that kea do not mentally simulate their string-pulling actions, but also that perceptual-motor feedback alone is insufficient in eliciting successful performance in the horizontal connectivity task. This suggests a more complex interplay of cognitive factors underlies this iconic example of animal problem-solving.

Prevalence and risk factors for feather-damaging behavior in psittacine birds: Analysis of a Japanese nationwide survey.

A case control study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of feather-damaging behavior and evaluate the correlation with risk factors among pet psittacine birds in Japan. Although feather-damaging behavior among pet parrots is frequently observed in Japan, its prevalence and potential risk factors have not been investigated. Therefore, we conducted an online questionnaire survey on parrot owners throughout Japan to examine regional differences in feather-damaging behavior and associated risk factors. In total, 2,331 valid responses were obtained. The prevalence of feather-damaging behavior was 11.7%, in general agreement with prior studies. The highest prevalence was among Cockatoos (Cacatua spp., etc.; 30.6%), followed by Lovebirds (Agapornis spp.; 24.5%) and African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus; 23.7%). Multivariate logistic regression was carried out to calculate the adjusted odds ratio (ORadj) for potential risk factors and adjust the confounding of the variables. The odds of feather-damaging behavior were significantly higher for Conures (Aratinga spp., Pyrrhura spp., Thectocercus acuticaudatus, Cyanoliseus patagonus) (ORadj = 2.55, P = 0.005), Pacific parrotlets (Forpus coelestis) (ORadj = 3.96, P < 0.001), African grey parrots (ORadj = 6.74, P < 0.001), Lovebirds (ORadj = 6.79, P < 0.001) and Cockatoos (ORadj = 9.46, P < 0.001) than Budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus), and for young adults (ORadj = 1.81, P = 0.038) and adults (ORadj = 3.17, P < 0.001) than young birds, and for signs of separation anxiety (ORadj = 1.81, P < 0.001). Species, bird age and signs of separation anxiety were significantly higher risk factors for feather-damaging behavior than any other potential risk factors. Our findings, which include broad species diversity, are a good source of data for predicting risk factors for feather-damaging behavior and could be useful in preventing declines in welfare.

Two independent approaches to assessing the constancy of evaporative water loss for birds under varying evaporative conditions.

We examine here the effects on evaporative water loss, at and below thermoneutrality, of perturbing the evaporative environment for the red-capped parrot (Purpureicephalus spurius) by modifying the ambient relative humidity or the diffusive properties of the ambient environment using a helium­oxygen mix (helox). We found that evaporative water loss did not change with relative humidity at an ambient temperature of 30 °C, but there was a negative relationship for evaporative water loss with relative humidity at 20 and 25 °C. The evaporative water loss per water vapour pressure deficit between the bird and its ambient environment was not constant with relative humidity, as would be expected for a physical effect (slope = 0); rather there was a significant positive relationship with relative humidity at ambient temperatures of 25 and 30 °C. Consequently, we conclude that the red-capped parrot can physiologically control its EWL over a range of relative humidities. For the first time for a bird species, we also confirmed EWL control using a second methodology to perturb the evaporative environment, and demonstrated that a more diffusive helox atmosphere has no effect on evaporative water loss of live birds, but evaporative water loss was higher for dead birds in helox compared to air. Our results for evaporative water loss and other physiological variables for red-capped parrots are consistent with the hypothesis that evaporative water loss is under physiological control.

Mirror responses in the common hill myna (Gracula religiosa) and the African grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus).

Scientists have spent great efforts exploring self-recognition in non-human animals using the mirror test. In avian species, some of the passerines have passed the test, although the findings are still under debate. The present study aimed at investigating mirror self-recognition ability and making a comparative study of mirror responses in two avian species, the common hill myna from the Passeriformes and the African grey parrot from the Psittaciformes. The subjects underwent four stages of experiment: habituation, baseline, mirror exposure and mark test. Our subjects spent significantly longer time in gazing into the mirror than the plexiglass as control. We also found they significantly increased the durations of grooming behaviour when presented with the mirror. No species difference was detected in the above two behaviours. However, the African grey parrots were more likely to approach the mirror than the common hill mynas, indicating their different ways of mirror exploration. All subjects failed to pass the mark test. In this study, we found no evidence of mirror self-recognition in the common hill myna and the African grey parrot.

Respiratory Diseases of Parrots: Anatomy, Physiology, Diagnosis and Treatment.

This article is aimed to help the reader to understand better how to diagnose and treat different respiratory diseases in Psittaciformes (parrot-like birds). The article starts from a review of avian respiratory anatomy and physiology, and then moves forward into diagnostic techniques, most common diseases, split in species and anatomic location, and common treatment regimens.

Universal principles underlying segmental structures in parrot song and human speech.

Despite the diversity of human languages, certain linguistic patterns are remarkably consistent across human populations. While syntactic universals receive more attention, there is stronger evidence for universal patterns in the inventory and organization of segments: units that are separated by rapid acoustic transitions which are used to build syllables, words, and phrases. Crucially, if an alien researcher investigated spoken human language how we analyze non-human communication systems, many of the phonological regularities would be overlooked, as the majority of analyses in non-humans treat breath groups, or "syllables" (units divided by silent inhalations), as the smallest unit. Here, we introduce a novel segment-based analysis that reveals patterns in the acoustic output of budgerigars, a vocal learning parrot species, that match universal phonological patterns well-documented in humans. We show that song in four independent budgerigar populations is comprised of consonant- and vowel-like segments. Furthermore, the organization of segments within syllables is not random. As in spoken human language, segments at the start of a vocalization are more likely to be consonant-like and segments at the end are more likely to be longer, quieter, and lower in fundamental frequency. These results provide a new foundation for empirical investigation of language-like abilities in other species.

Fine-scale genetic structure in the critically endangered red-fronted macaw in the absence of geographic and ecological barriers.

Behavioural and socio-cultural traits are recognized in the restriction of gene flow in species with high cognitive capacity and complex societies. This isolation by social barriers has been generally overlooked in threatened species by assuming disrupted gene flow due to population fragmentation and decline. We examine the genetic structure and ecology of the global population of the Critically Endangered red-fronted macaw (Ara rubrogenys), an endemic species to the inter-Andean valleys of Bolivia. We found a fine-scale genetic structuring in four genetic clusters. Genetic diversity was higher in wild compared to captive-bred macaws, but similar to that of captive wild-caught macaws. We found no clear evidence of severe genetic erosion in the population in recent decades, but it was patent in historic times, overlapping with drastic human habitat transformation and macaw persecution over millennia. We found no evidence of geographical and ecological barriers, owing to the high dispersal ability, nesting and foraging habits between genetic clusters. The lack of genetic intermixing despite long-distance foraging and seasonal movements suggests recruitment in natal colonies and other social factors reinforcing philopatry-related genetic structure. Conservation efforts should be specifically focussed on major threats in each genetic cluster as independent conservation units, and also considered in ex-situ management.

Memory-specific correlated neuronal activity in higher-order auditory regions of a parrot.

Male budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) are open-ended learners that can learn to produce new vocalisations as adults. We investigated neuronal activation in male budgerigars using the expression of the protein products of the immediate early genes zenk and c-fos in response to exposure to conspecific contact calls (CCs: that of the mate or an unfamiliar female) in three subregions (CMM, dNCM and vNCM) of the caudomedial pallium, a higher order auditory region. Significant positive correlations of Zenk expression were found between these subregions after exposure to mate CCs. In contrast, exposure to CCs of unfamiliar females produced no such correlations. These results suggest the presence of a CC-specific association among the subregions involved in auditory memory. The caudomedial pallium of the male budgerigar may have functional subdivisions that cooperate in the neuronal representation of auditory memory.

The endocast of the Night Parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis) reveals insights into its sensory ecology and the evolution of nocturnality in birds.

The Night Parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis) is a rare, nocturnal parrot species that has largely escaped scientific investigation due to its behaviour and habitat preferences. Recent field studies have revealed some insights into Night Parrot behaviour, but nothing is known of its sensory abilities. Here, we used µCT scans of an intact Night Parrot specimen to determine if its visual system shares similarities with other nocturnal species. The endocast of the Night Parrot revealed relatively small optic lobes and optic foramina, especially compared with closely related grass parakeets, but no apparent differences in orbit dimensions. Our data suggests that the Night Parrot likely has lower visual acuity than most other parrots, including its congener, the Eastern Ground Parrot (P. wallicus). We propose that the visual system of the Night Parrot might represent a compromise between the need to see under low light conditions and the visual acuity required to detect predators, forage, and fly. Based on the endocast and optic foramen measurements, the Night Parrot fits into a common pattern of decreased retinal input to the optic lobes in birds that should be explored more thoroughly in extant and extinct species.

Seasonal fluctuation of beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) infection in wild Crimson Rosellas (Platycercus elegans).

Understanding patterns of pathogen emergence can help identify mechanisms involved in transmission dynamics. Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) poses a major threat world-wide to wild and captive parrots. Yet data from wild birds on seasonal fluctuations in prevalence and infection intensity, and thereby the potential high-risk times for virus transmission, have been lacking. We screened wild Crimson Rosellas (Platycercus elegans) for BFDV in blood and cloacal swabs. Prevalence in blood samples and cloacal swabs, as well as viral load varied with Julian date and in blood, were highest after the breeding season. Breeding birds had lower viral load and lower BFDV prevalence in blood than non-breeding birds (10.1% prevalence in breeding vs. 43.2% in non-breeding birds). BFDV prevalence was much higher in younger (<3 years) than older (≥3 years) birds for both blood samples (42.9% vs. 4.5%) and cloacal swabs (56.4% vs. 12.3%). BFDV status in blood and cloacal samples was not correlated within individuals. We show that, at least in P. elegans, BFDV infection seems to occur year-round, with seasonal changes in prevalence and load found in our samples. Our analyses suggest that the seasonal changes were associated primarily with the breeding season. We also discuss age and sex as important predictors of BFDV infection.

Minimum anesthetic concentration of isoflurane and sparing effect of midazolam in Quaker parrots (Myiopsitta monachus).

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of midazolam on the minimum anesthetic concentration (MAC) reduction of end-tidal isoflurane concentration (Fe'Iso) measured using an electrical stimulus in Quaker parrots (Myiopsitta monachus). STUDY DESIGN: Randomized crossover experimental study. ANIMALS: A group of six adult Quaker parrots, weighing 98-124 g. METHODS: Birds were anesthetized with isoflurane in oxygen delivered by mask, then tracheally intubated and mechanically ventilated. Three treatments were applied with a 4 day interval between anesthetic events. Each anesthetized bird was administered midazolam (1 mg kg-1; treatment MID1), midazolam (2 mg kg-1; treatment MID2) or electrolyte solution (control) intramuscularly. The treatments were administered using a replicated Latin square design and the observers were blinded. Based on a pilot bird, the starting Fe'Iso was 1.8%. After equilibration for 10 minutes, a supramaximal stimulus was delivered using an electrical current (20 V and 50 Hz for 10 ms) and birds were observed for non-reflex movement. The Fe'Iso was titrated by 0.1% until a crossover event was observed. The MAC was estimated using logistic regression. RESULTS: The MAC of isoflurane (MACISO) was estimated at 2.52% [95% confidence interval (CI), 2.19-2.85] with a range of 1.85-2.65%. MACISO in MID1 was 2.04% (95% CI, 1.71-2.37) and in MID2 was 1.81% (95% CI, 1.48-2.14); reductions in MACISO from control of 19% (p = 0.001) and 28% (p < 0.001), respectively. Heart rate, temperature, sex and anesthetic time were not different among treatments. CONCLUSIONS: Midazolam (1-2 mg kg-1) intramuscularly resulted in a significant isoflurane-sparing effect in response to a noxious stimulus in Quaker parrots without observable adverse effects. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Midazolam can be used as part of a balanced anesthetic approach using isoflurane in Quaker parrots, and potentially in other psittacine species.

Kea show three signatures of domain-general statistical inference.

One key aspect of domain-general thought is the ability to integrate information across different cognitive domains. Here, we tested whether kea (Nestor notabilis) can use relative quantities when predicting sampling outcomes, and then integrate both physical information about the presence of a barrier, and social information about the biased sampling of an experimenter, into their predictions. Our results show that kea exhibit three signatures of statistical inference, and therefore can integrate knowledge across different cognitive domains to flexibly adjust their predictions of sampling events. This result provides evidence that true statistical inference is found outside of the great apes, and that aspects of domain-general thinking can convergently evolve in brains with a highly different structure from primates. This has important implications not only for our understanding of how intelligence evolves, but also for research focused on how to create artificial domain-general thought processes.

Prevalence and characterisation of wounds in sheep attributed to attacks by kea (Nestor notabilis) on high country farms in New Zealand.

Aims: To characterise and classify wounds in sheep suspected to have been caused by attacks by kea (Nestor notabilis) (kea strike), and to report the prevalence of these wounds on five high country farms in the South Island of New Zealand.Methods: Data were collected from farms between 28 August 2012 and 20 September 2013. Sheep were examined opportunistically immediately after shearing for signs of wounds caused by kea. The age and sex of sheep were also recorded. Wounds were measured and characterised as recent, healing, or healed, and the estimated true prevalence was calculated for each farm.Results: Injuries consistent with kea strike wounds were identified in 70/13,978 (0.5%) sheep examined. The estimated true prevalence varied between farms, from 0 (95% CI = 0-0.16) to 1.25 (95% CI = 0.97-1.61)%. Of the 76 wounds identified, 61 (80%) were located in the lumbar region, and 74 (97%) consisted of full-thickness ulceration of the skin, one showed evidence of injury to muscle and one to bone. The median length of the 63 wounds measured was 6 (min 1, max 23.5) cm, and 10/63 (13%) were categorised as recently healed, 47/63 (62%) as healing, and 17/63 (22%) as recent wounds.Conclusions: The results of this study show that kea strike on sheep was occurring at a low prevalence on the high country farms surveyed. The wounds identified were survivable, but the welfare impact of kea strike on sheep should be considered in balance with the conservation status of kea. There was clear variation in the prevalence of wounds attributed to kea strike between the farms but we were not able to identify the risk factors contributing to these differences. Future studies of kea strike should examine variables such as altitude, local kea density and distribution, and differences in kea strike management and husbandry practices, and should include high country farms without a history of kea strike.

Evolutionary History, Genomic Adaptation to Toxic Diet, and Extinction of the Carolina Parakeet.

As the only endemic neotropical parrot to have recently lived in the northern hemisphere, the Carolina parakeet (Conuropsis carolinensis) was an iconic North American bird. The last surviving specimen died in the Cincinnati Zoo in 1918 [1]. The cause of its extinction remains contentious: besides excessive mortality associated to habitat destruction and active hunting, their survival could have been negatively affected by its range having become increasingly patchy [2] or by the exposure to poultry pathogens [3, 4]. In addition, the Carolina parakeet showed a predilection for cockleburs, an herbaceous plant that contains a powerful toxin, carboxyatractyloside, or CAT [5], which did not seem to affect them but made the birds notoriously toxic to most predators [3]. To explore the demographic history of this bird, we generated the complete genomic sequence of a preserved specimen held in a private collection in Espinelves (Girona, Spain), as well as of a close extant relative, Aratinga solstitialis. We identified two non-synonymous genetic changes in two highly conserved proteins known to interact with CAT that could underlie a specific dietary adaptation to this toxin. Our genomic analyses did not reveal evidence of a dramatic past demographic decline in the Carolina parakeet; also, its genome did not exhibit the long runs of homozygosity that are signals of recent inbreeding and are typically found in endangered species. As such, our results suggest its extinction was an abrupt process and thus likely solely attributable to human causes.

Piagetian liquid overconservation in grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus).

Piagetian liquid overconservation was investigated in four grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus). Birds tracked the larger of two quantities that had undergone various manipulations. Experiment 1 involved controls to ensure birds could track movement of the quantities, including direct and diagonal cross-transfers. All birds succeeded. In Experiment 2, different amounts in the same transparent or opaque containers were transferred into containers rigged such that amounts then looked equal. All birds chose the larger amounts after transformation when initial cups were transparent, but were random or had consistent side preferences when initial cups were opaque (thus obscuring quantity differences), showing that they used inferential, not perceptual, information, and that no extraneous cues existed. In Experiment 3, two birds saw different amounts from same-sized transparent or opaque containers transferred to containers of different sizes, rigged such that resultant amounts appeared to fill both cups and in which lesser amounts appeared greater on some trials. The older bird demonstrated full use of inferential abilities; he succeeded in all tasks when initial cups were transparent but, again, had consistent side preferences with initially opaque cups. The younger succeeded in the direct transfers with transparent initial cups but was random or showed a side preference on diagonal-transfer tasks and on all the tasks with opaque initial cups. However, she had no preference for the cup that appeared fuller, suggesting she did not use perceptual cues. Overall, grey parrots appear to understand the constancy of liquids undergoing physical transformation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Kea (Nestor notabilis) represent object trajectory and identity.

The ability to represent both the identity and trajectory of hidden objects underlies our capacity to reason about causal mechanisms. However, to date no studies have shown that non-human animals are capable of representing these two factors simultaneously. Here, we tested whether kea can represent out-of-sight object trajectories and identities by presenting subjects with three tasks, each of which involved tracking or predicting hand trajectories as they moved behind a screen. Taken together, our results suggest that kea have the capacity for mental simulation in complex tasks involving moving hidden objects.

The Use of Alfaxalone in Quaker Parrots (Myiopsitta monachus).

Alfaxalone is a neurosteroid anesthetic that acts on gamma-aminobutyric acid alpha-receptors. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical safety and efficacy of alfaxalone (Alfaxan CD). Due to observed hyperexcitability in the subject animals when alfaxalone was the only drug used during the initial trials, premedication with midazolam was also evaluated during the final study. Ten adult Quaker parrots (Myiopsitta monachus) were assigned to 3 groups: 1) low-dose alfaxalone 10 mg/kg (LD), 2) high-dose alfaxalone 25 mg/kg (HD), and 3) alfaxalone 10 mg/ kg with midazolam 1 mg/kg premedication (AM), administered intramuscularly. Induction time, sedation quality, duration of action, and vital parameters, including heart rate, respiratory rate, and temperature, were recorded. All protocols achieved adequate sedation; however, muscle tremors and hyperexcitation were variable. The LD group had a significantly longer mean ± SD induction time (13.5 ± 4.5 minutes) as compared to the HD (6.0 ± 1.3 minutes, P = .002) and AM (6.5 ± 2.9 minutes, P = .006) groups, while recovery time was significantly longer in the HD group (86.2 ± 13.4 minutes) than the LD group (44.4 ± 10.8 minutes, P < .001). Midazolam premedication resulted in reduction of both muscle tremors and hyperexcitation associated with alfaxalone administration, but the recovery time was significantly longer (103.5 ± 15.1 minutes, P < .001) than for the LD group. Alfaxalone as a sole agent resulted in muscle tremors and hyperexcitation during induction, which was attenuated by premedication with midazolam. Further investigation is warranted to characterize the effects of alfaxalone and drugs used to premedicate Quaker parrots.