A Goffin’s cockatoo parrot named Figaro living in captivity in an aviary outside of Vienna, Austria is the first cockatoo to be documented making and using tools to reach food.

A Goffin’s cockatoo parrot named Figaro living in captivity in an aviary outside of Vienna, Austria is the first cockatoo to be documented making and using tools to reach food.

Several different kinds of animals use tools, but only some actually shape their own tools from available materials, including New Caledonian crows living in the wild.

Although many different species of birds use tools in the wild and in captivity, this is the first case of a cockatoo fashioning and using a tool.

Figaro was observed chewing off a wooden splinter and using it to reach a cashew nut that researchers from the University of Vienna placed just out of reach of the bird’s cage.

The experiment was repeated, and Figaro broke off a piece of wood to reach the cashew 9 out of 10 times.

Even though Figaro’s fellow cage mates failed to figure out a way to reach the nut, researchers say that he is not an exceptionally smart bird because they have out performed him in other cognitive tests.