Parrots can play tablet games for enrichment. Now researchers are studying how to improve them for birds to use | News [Video]

(CNN) — Parrots are smart, with some species found to have the problem-solving skills of a young child. So if small kids can use technology in some capacity, why can’t parrots?

Researchers aiming to answer why parrots should use technology for cognitive enrichment set out to answer just how tablets could be improved for optimal use by the intelligent birds, according to a recent March study.

By designing a balloon-popping tablet game and collecting data from 20 pet parrots, the researchers found that birds’ interest in the game indicated mental stimulation could be a potential benefit. However, the critters’ anatomy was an obstacle to interacting with the screens. Each parrot popped virtual balloons by using its tongue and beak, with eyes often very close to the screen. As a result, the bird would have to turn its head or pull back to find the next target.

The findings establish a framework that researchers can use to design bird-friendly …