Curing Loneliness in Captivity: the Parrots’ Video Calls鸚鵡也會視頻？科技讓鸚鵡不再孤獨

With their colorful feathers and charming ability to imitate human speech， parrots have captured the hearts of numerous pet owners across the world. However， many owners aren’t aware that parrots are incredibly social animals that need plenty of attention and company. In the wild， they thrive in large flocks， but captivity often deprives them of the opportunity to interact with other birds. Bored and lonely parrots are at risk of developing psychological issues or harmful habits such as plucking out their own feathers. Thankfully， a new study has shed light on how modern technology can help relieve the loneliness of pet parrots.

憑借其色彩繽紛的羽毛和使人著迷的模仿人類語言的能力，鸚鵡俘獲了全球許多寵物主人的心。然而，許多主人沒有意識到鸚鵡是極其喜歡交際的動物，需要大量的關注與陪伴。在野外，它們在大群體中茁壯成長，但圈養往往使它們失去與其他鳥類互動的機會。感到無聊和孤獨的鸚鵡有可能出現心理問題或有害的習慣，例如啄掉自己的羽毛。慶幸的是，一項新研究闡明了現代科技如何幫助緩解寵物鸚鵡的孤獨感。

In order to provide parrots with the interaction they lack， researchers from several universities collaborated on a unique project. They recruited 18 parrots from an online training program for pet parrots called Parrot Kindergarten.

為了提供鸚鵡所缺乏的互動，來自多所大學的研究人員合作進行了一項獨特的項目。他們從名為“鸚鵡幼兒園”的寵物鸚鵡在線培訓課程中招募了18只鸚鵡。

The parrots were taught to ring a bell， which alerted their owners that they wanted to use a tablet. They would then proceed to tap an image of another parrot on the screen. This initiated a video call， bringing another parrot “face-to-face”. After becoming familiar with this procedure， the birds were allowed to call their friends freely. During the experimental phase， the parrots made 147 deliberate video calls， each one keenly observed by the owners to ensure the birds’ well-being.

這些鸚鵡被教導搖響鈴鐺，這用以提醒主人它們想要使用平板電腦。鸚鵡會接著點擊屏幕上另一只鸚鵡的圖像，這將開啟視頻通話，使另一只鸚鵡“面對面”地出現在屏幕上。在熟悉這一流程之后，鸚鵡被允許自由地和它們的朋友打視頻電話。在實驗階段，這些鸚鵡進行了147次有意的視頻通話，每一次都由主人仔細觀察以確保這些鳥兒的健康。

The findings of the study were encouraging. The parrots appeared to enjoy their virtual hang-outs. They displayed a range of different behaviors， including singing， playing around and showing off their toys. Many parrots even chose to call the same birds over and over again， suggesting that long-lasting bonds were being formed. While video chats can’t recreate how parrots socialize in the wild， they can offer a beneficial addition to the lives of pet parrots and brighten up their days.

這項研究結果鼓舞人心。這些鸚鵡似乎喜歡它們的虛擬聚會。它們表現出各種不同的行為，包括唱歌、嬉戲以及炫耀它們的玩具。許多鸚鵡甚至選擇一遍又一遍地打給同一只鸚鵡，這意味著它們之間正在形成持久的友誼。雖然視頻通話無法再現鸚鵡在野外的社交方式，但它可以為寵物鸚鵡的生活增添益處，讓它們的日子更加美好。

Word Bank

imitate /'?m?te?t/ v. 模仿；仿效

Teachers provide a model for children to imitate.

deprive /d?'pra?v/ v. 剝奪

deprive sb/sth of sth 剝奪；使喪失；使不能享有

They were imprisoned and deprived of their basic rights.

collaborate /k?'l?b?re?t/ v. 合作；協作