Sometimes supporting roles outshine the leads. Take Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. Even readers of the novel often forget the name of the hero and narrator of this extraordinary adventure, the teenager Jim Hawkins. In contrast, the name Long John Silver comes to mind instantly. The image of the one-legged pirate, a first-rate orator and formidable fighter, saber in hand and parrot on his shoulder, has become legendary.
Bruce has not yet reached the same level of fame. But this approximately 13-year-old kea parrot has already become a notable figure in the scientific world. The inventiveness of this disabled parrot has drawn attention worldwide. Taken in as a juvenile in 2013 at Willowbank Wildlife Reserve in New Zealand, his prospects initially seemed grim. He was missing nothing less than the entire upper half of his beak, most likely torn off by a trap. This curved section, about five centimeters long, is essential for feeding, carrying objects and grooming. It was this last activity that first brought Bruce into the spotlight, in September 2021. Researchers from the University of Auckland announced in the journal Scientific Reports that he had invented a technique to smooth out his feathers and rid them of parasites: Bruce would wedge a pebble between the lower part of his beak and his tongue, and then run it through his plumage. Better than a tool, it was a real prosthesis.
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