A New Zealand parrot that’s missing the entire top half of its beak has developed a unique jousting technique to attain top social status, researchers report in a new study.
The parrot, named Bruce, thrusts with his exposed lower beak during jousts, targeting the head, wings, beak and legs of his opponent, although he usually doesn’t make contact, Alex Grabham, a biologist at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury in New Zealand and first author of the study, told Live Science. Instead, the moves are competitive posturing meant to spook the opponent. Bruce extends his neck to use more force at close range, or runs and jumps from farther away to drive his beak at other males.
“It’s no surprise that a bird like Bruce, that has this impairment, has had to innovate and get on with his life,” Grabham said.
Bruce is a kea (Nestor notabilis), an endangered parrot native to New Zealand. These parrots are known for their remarkable adaptability and intelligence, as they have been documented using tools, solving problems and even making predictions.
Bruce has lived in captivity in Willowbank Wildlife Reserve in Christchurch for about 12 years, after being discovered as a juvenile in the mountains of New Zealand’s South Island with his entire upper beak missing. Researchers suspect he lost this part of his beak in an accident, but they aren’t sure exactly what happened, Grabham said.
Bruce has adapted to his disability by developing never-before-seen techniques to perform everyday tasks. For example, he uses different-sized pebbles instead of his beak to preen himself, in the first recorded case of self-care tool use in a kea parrot.
“That work really showed that he has had to innovate,” Grabham said.
In the study, published April 20 in the journal Current Biology, researchers described Bruce’s novel technique for jousting, which has earned him the undefeated alpha-male position in his group. He’s the only kea who’s been recorded engaging in this jousting technique, Grabham said, and the researchers suspect he’s the only one; parrots’ upper beak protrudes over their lower beak, so it would be impossible to replicate the moves with an intact beak.
Bruce’s jousting moves immediately displaced opponents 73% of the time. Bruce won all 36 of the observed jousts he was part of, confirming him as the dominant alpha parrot of the group. “We know his jousting is a huge part of his success,” Grabham said.
Being the alpha has benefits for Bruce’s health. He has the lowest stress hormone levels of the group, which the researchers tested by analyzing the parrots’ fecal samples. He also enjoys priority access to feeders and is the only male in the group to be preened and have his beak cleaned by other males.
Bruce’s behavioral innovation enabled him to exert dominance over the group, marking the first time a disabled animal has achieved alpha status alone, the researchers said. In other recorded cases of physically impaired animals reaching top social status, alliances were essential to dominance. For example, one alpha male chimpanzee (Pan troglodyte) that lost the use of his arm due to polio rose in rank through new charging displays and an alliance with his brother. In another example, an older male Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata) that had lost his ability to walk attained alpha status through an alliance with the group’s alpha female.
The new findings emphasize kea’s intelligence and flexibility, the researchers said. Kea are endangered, with fewer than 7,000 left in the wild, so their conservation is crucial, Grabham said.
“All of the kea are unique and have their own ways and personalities,” Grabham said. “They’re incredible creatures, and Bruce is one of many.” Willowbank Wildlife Reserve advocates for kea conservation through breeding programs and education.
The new findings show what’s possible for animals with physical disabilities, the researchers said.
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