Video of Rebellious Cockatoo Tearing Down Anti-Bird Spikes Goes Viral

(TMU) — A sassy cockatoo seemingly tired of discrimination against birds has taken it upon himself to rid walls outside of the Town Centre Arcade in Katoomba, Australia of anti-nesting bird spikes. In a new viral video, the large parrot can be seen ripping up the spikes to make space for other birds.

The video, titled F*** the police, shows the sulfur-colored cockatoo ripping out sections of metal spikes, then dropping them to the ground. At the end of the video, the camera pans to reveal the bird has torn out dozens of the sections across the entire length of the wall.

The footage was uploaded by Isaac Sherring-Tito and since it was posted to Facebook, it has been shared more than 34,000 times. One user commented, “The trail of destruction is magnificent.” Another commented that the bird is a “badass.”

The cockatoo doesn’t stop at bird spikes. He is also a “liar and a thief,” according to one Twitter user. The commenter, who lives near Wentworth Falls, New South Wales, said the bird once tried to steal his snacks while shopping. It seems he regularly “cons tourists out of their snacks.”

https://twitter.com/stilgherrian/status/1146985264759263232

Considering cockatoos have levels of cognitive development similar to a 4-year-old human, this behavior isn’t that surprising. The birds are highly intelligent and social creatures, after all. Why wouldn’t he rip up the spikes if his friends have nowhere to sit?

The installation of anti-nesting bird spikes is a controversial topic. There is no denying that they help maintain cleaner public spaces, but sometimes people go too far. For instance, in 2017 wealthy residents in Britain attached spikes to trees to prevent their vehicles from collecting droppings.

By Mandy Froelich | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com