Alex & Me - How a Scientist and a Parrot Discovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence--And Formed a Deep Bond in the Process
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Alex didn’t stay, and his passing taught me the true depth of our shared connection. The searing pain and grief I experienced when he died taught me that. I had always loved the little guy, of course, as one does an individual with whom one works so closely day after day over three decades. He had depended completely on me and my students for his material needs, but he always had an air of independence about him, haughty independence. And I had kept my true attachment to him in close check, so much so that it became invisible even to me. No longer.
I took care of Alex, as any dutiful Grey owner would, but he was such a free spirit that I never felt I owned him. This feeling is best expressed in one of my favorite films, Out of Africa. Based on Isak Dinesen’s memoir of the same name, it tells the wrenching story of doomed love between Danish baroness Karen Blixen (Dinesen’s real name) and Denys Finch-Hatton, a dashing hunter and aviator, set in the mystical Ngong Hills of southwest Kenya. The book opens with the simple and yet deeply evocative phrase, “I had a farm in Africa.”
It’s difficult to explain, but when you go to Africa, the place gets under your skin, burrows into your soul. And so that simplest of opening lines instantly taps into the most fundamental of emotions. It also stirs a deep sorrow that comes from knowing the devastation that is now being visited upon much of these primal lands, victim of the double depredation of limitless greed and desperate need. Sad. Where’s the recognition of oneness here?
One attraction of the story for me involves a certain identification with this woman and her quest in life. She, too, batted her head against a brick wall for an awful lot of the time, trying to become accepted by and yet change the establishment, trying to persevere against great odds. Only when she left did the men finally acknowledge what she had accomplished. Too late for her.
But it is the closing words of the film that have a special place in my heart in evoking Alex and me. Blixen has come to accept her loss of the elusive Finch-Hatton, and she says the following over his grave, slightly modified here:
He was not ours, he was not mine. Thank you for sharing him with us. He brought us much joy. We loved him well.
Acknowledgments
To all those who sent e-mail, snail mail, and phoned after Alex died, who convinced me of the need for this book…to Arlene, without whom I couldn’t have survived…to all those who provided financial assistance for the research over the years, whether a few dollars or several thousands, or by spending countless hours arranging fundraisers…to all those who gave their emotional support through thick and thin…thank you! I would also like to acknowledge Roger Lewin’s significant help in drafting the manuscript.
Searchable Terms
Note: Entries in this index, carried over verbatim from the print edition of this title, are unlikely to correspond to the pagination of any given e-book reader. However, entries in this index, and other terms, may be easily located by using the search feature of your e-book reader.
acoustic envelope, 63
African Grey parrots, 221–22
hand feeding, 144–45
hiding of symptoms of disability, 133
history of, 55
mating dance, 201, 202
as species choice for Pepperberg’s studies, 55–56
stress, showing, 184
territoriality, 148
Alda, Alan, 12, 169–72, 174
Alex (African Grey), 56–142, 147–207
aspergillosis infection, 118–24, 133
assertiveness of, 66–67, 100–102, 151–52, 186–87, 197
death of, reaction to, 1–25, 209–14, 224–26
“I’m sorry,” 93–95, 135
last words, 207, 212
lessons learned from, 214–15, 219–24
media attention, see specific publications and programs name origin, 83–84
“no,” use of word, 74–77, 91
perching, 60, 61
selection of, 56–58
size of, 58
skills, see specific skills, e.g., colors, learning of
as trainer for other parrots, 147–48, 154, 187–88
Alexakis, Patti, 16
Alex Foundation, The, 15, 21, 131, 184, 197, 205, 223–24
Alex Studies, The (Pepperberg), 140, 158 “Alex the Parrot,” 4–5 “Alex Wanted a Cracker, but Did He Want One?” 6
All Things Considered, NPR’s, 3
Alo (African Grey), 130, 131–32, 143
American Association for the Advancement of Science, 203–4
Animal Dreams (Kingsolver), 33
anticipatory co-articulation, 142
Apalachee River Aviary, 143
apes, research with, 82–83, 85–86, 87–88, 112, 217, 218, 219
chimpanzees, see chimpanzees
Aristotle, 215–16
Arnott, Struther, 68
aspergillosis infection, 118–24, 130, 133
Atwood, Margaret, 199–200
autistic children, 165
“Avian Cognition: When Being Called ‘Bird Brain’ Is a Compliment,” 204
Bazell, Bob, 112
behaviorism, 68–69
bird songs, 115
Block, Melissa, 3
Blumberg, Bruce, 164, 166
boredom, 64, 109, 111, 163, 191, 220
Bove, Michael, 159–60, 161
Boysen, Sally, 193
brain, avian, 202–4
Brand, Stewart, 160
Brandeis University, 18, 184–212, 200
Brown, Susan, 119
Butler Elementary School, Lockport, 20–21
Cabell, Shannon, 206
Cantor, Margo and Charlie, 181, 183
Carey, Benedict, 1–2
Cavanagh, Patrick, 202, 204–5
Chandler, David, 5–6
Charlie Bird (number one), 43
Charlie Bird (number two), 44–45, 46, 49
Chet (parakeet), 51
chimpanzees, 52, 54, 55, 69–70, 82–83, 111, 193, 194, 196, 218, 219
“Clever Hans Phenomenon:
Communication with Horses, Whales, Apes and People, The,” 86–88, 218
Clyne, Terry, 143–44
cognition, animal, 214–21
vocal, 66, 71, 72
Colazzi, Ernie, 122
colors, learning of, 73, 80–81, 91, 97
concepts, understanding of, 91–92, 219
Couric, Katie, 3
Crib Talk (Weir), 115
Darwin, Charles, 216
Davidson, Kathy, 97
Dennett, Dan, 191–92
Descartes, René, 218
Dinesen, Isak, 225–26
Dr. Doolittle (Lofting), 39
dolphins, 52, 218
Dowling, John, 51, 53–54
Duffy, Deborah, 12–13
Dunsmore, Katherine, 115
Economist, 7, 23
electronic bird sitter, 164–65
empathy, 114, 159
equivalence, 194–97
evolution, 202–3, 216–17, 218–19
formant, 141
Foster Parrots, 172
Fouts, Roger, 19, 82, 83
Gardner, Allen and Beatrice, 54, 82, 217
Goodall, Jane, 52, 218
Good Morning America, 3
Grahame, Karen “Wren,” 14–16, 23
Great Chain of Being, 216, 217
Griffin (African Grey), 18, 143–48, 153–54, 167, 168–69, 173, 176, 181, 183–88, 192–93, 200, 207, 210
Griffin, Donald, 52
Guadette, Kim, 163
Guardian, The, 4
Guggenheim Fellowship, 158
Harrison, Dr. Greg, 122–23
Hart, Mother Dolores, 17–18
Harvard University, 5, 47–48, 51, 53
Harvard University Press, 158
Hayes, Dr. K. C., 209–10
Heinrich, Bernd, 149–50
Holmes, Dr. Karen, 211 “humans are unique” doctrine, 83, 218–19, 222
Huxley, Thomas Henry, 217
intelligent learning systems, 1
62–63
intention, 6, 105–6
interconnectedness of living things, 222, 223–24
International Primatological Congress, 111–12
InterPet Explorer, 173–74
Istock, Conrad, 128
ITALK grants, 207
Jarvis, Eric, 203
Johnson, Marc, 172
Katz, Barbara, 100–102
Keller, Susanne, 13–14
Kingsolver, Barbara, 33
Kleiner, Laurence, 11
Klinkenberg, Verlyn, 4–5
Koehler, Otto, 56
Koko the gorilla, 83
Kollar, Bill, 16–17
Kraynak, Karen, 20
Kyaaro (African Grey), 130, 131–32, 150, 152–53
labels, learning, 61–79, 80–81, 91, 139, 157, 187–88, 219
language, 142, 217–18, 220–21
second-language acquisition, 115
as unique human ability, belief in, 83, 218–19
LaPell, Madonna, 131
Leno, Jay, 5
Levin-Rowe, Arlene, 18, 185, 199, 206, 210–11
Lieberman, Philip, 140
Lindsay, Betsy, 210
Lorenz, Konrad, 52
Lynn, Spencer, 175–76
McDonald, Scott, 121
Malcolm, Norman, 217
Man’s Place in Nature (Huxley), 217
Marler, Peter, 54
Mathur, Treva, 19–20
Merlin (parakeet), 58, 60
Miles, Lyn, 82
mimicking, 63, 71, 142
MIT, 44–47, 53
Media Lab, 159–81, 186
Morton, Kandis, 75–76
Museum of Comparative Zoology, 53–54
National Institute of Mental Health, 68, 73–74, 82
National Science Foundation, 82, 89, 91, 113, 131, 204, 207
Nature, 5–6, 23, 80
Neapolitan, Denise, 115
Negroponte, Nicholas, 160
Newton, Jennifer, 105
New York Times, 1–2, 4–5, 6, 23, 91, 159
Noah’s Ark (pet store), 56–57
Northern Illinois Parrot Society, 122
Northwestern University, 102–3, 108, 112–14, 116, 125–26
NOVA, 51, 83
numbers and mathematical concepts, recognizing and understanding, 114, 134–35, 188–97
addition, 192, 193
equivalence, 194–97
none, concept of, 190–92
zero-like concept, 190
Nye, Richard, 121
object permanence, 115, 155–56
Ohlsson, Garrick, 117–18
Omni, 91
operant conditioning, 69, 72
optical illusions, 202–5, 207
Oryx and Crake (Atwood), 199–200 Out of Africa (Dinesen), 225–26
Pak, Marion, 61–62, 63, 64, 73
parrot clubs and conferences, 10–11, 122
Parrot Education & Adoption Center, 12
Parrots: Look Who’s Talking, 20
Patriarco, Steve, 201, 202
Patterson, Dianne, 139, 141–42
Patterson, Penny, 19, 82, 83
PBS, 12, 51
Pepperberg, Dr. David, 47, 48, 49, 51, 57–58, 113, 116, 126
career of, 56, 99
Pepperberg, Dr. Irene
career choice, 52–56
childhood, 27–39
education of, 40–48, 53–56
marriage, 49, 113, 126
No-Name and other childhood parakeets, 28–29, 32–33, 38, 58, 224
presentations, 91
purpose of Alex Project, 83–84, 106
research grants, 67–68, 72–74, 82, 89, 91, 113, 114, 131, 168, 207
research papers, 79–80, 84–85, 92, 107, 111–12, 115
scientific approach, 89–90, 107–9, 220
phonemes, 177–79
Piaget, Jean, 65
PollyGlot Computer, 165–66 “practicing” newly acquired knowledge, 65, 115, 199
Premack, David, 54, 82, 111
Purdue University, 56, 67–68, 89, 90, 99
Queens College, 42–43
Radcliffe Institute, 193, 197, 200
Raven, Denise, 16
ravens, 149–50
Ravid, Jeanne, 117
reductionism, 222–23
Reed, Susan, 94
Reiss, Diana, 2, 86, 88
Resner, Ben, 164, 173, 175–76
Ritchie, Dr. Branson, 143
Rivel, Deb, 223–24
Rosen, Bruce, 95
Rosen, Howard and Linda, 135–37
Rosenthal, Robert, 86, 87
Rumbaugh, Duane, 54, 82, 88
Ruth, Linda, 11
same/different concept, 110–11, 190, 219
Samuelson-Woodson, Carol, 137–38
Savage, Sue, 82, 88
Sawyer, Diane, 3
Schachner, Adena, 206
Schinke-Llano, Linda, 114–15, 134, 135
Schluter, Debbie, 143, 145–46
Science, 79–80, 85, 86, 88
Science 82, 91
Science Show,
4 Scientific American Frontiers, 12, 169–74
Sebeok, Jean Umiker-, 87
Sebeok, Thomas, 86, 87
segmentation, 81
Sekuler, Bob, 184
Serial Tr-Hacking, 164, 173
sexism, 48–49, 50
shapes, learning of, 74, 91–92 “smart nest,” 166
Smith, Deborah and Michael, 139–40
social context, learning in a, 62, 69, 72, 133
speech, vocalization of parrots and acoustic properties of human, 140–42
Stewart, David, 13
strangers, reaction to, 66
Terrace, Herbert, 85–86, 88
Tinbergen, Nikolaas, 52
Todt, Dietmar, 56, 70, 85
Tomasello, Mike, 196
Torok, Jaimi, 10
training methods
functionality component of, 71–72
model/rival program with two trainers, 61–62, 70, 71, 85, 132–33, 147, 154, 171
reference component of, 71
social interaction component of, 72, 133
transfer, 66
University of Arizona, Tucson, 116–17, 157–58, 161, 179, 180
Pepperberg lab at, 130–56, 185–86
University of Illinois, Chicago, 99, 102, 128
vocal cognitive ability in nonhumans, 66, 71, 72
vocalization of parrots, acoustic properties of human speech and, 140–42
von Frisch, Karl, 52
von Osten, Wilhelm, 87
Wade, Nicholas, 88
Wall Street Journal, 112
Wart (African Grey), 18, 163–64, 167, 168, 173, 174, 176, 181, 185, 207, 210
Waser, Peter, 68
Washoe (chimpanzee), 83, 217
Webster, Karen, 12
Weir, Ruth, 115
Wiener, Doris, 40
Wiesner, Jerome, 160
Wild Kingdom symposium, 166
Williams, Robyn, 4
Wings Over the Rainbow, 11
Wright, Maggie, 181, 185
Younce, Deborah, 18–19
Zeitschrift für Tierpsychologie, 85, 91
About the Author
IRENE M. PEPPERBERG is an associate research professor at Brandeis University in Massachusetts and teaches animal cognition at Harvard University. Her work has been featured in major newspapers and magazines in the United States, Europe, and Asia, as well as on television, including the now-famous interview of Alex by Alan Alda on Scientific American Frontiers. She is the author of one previous book, The Alex Studies (Harvard, 2000).
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Praise for Alex & Me
“Alex & Me is a wonderful read about the close and enduring bonds that developed between a very bright bird and a very motivated researcher during a long-term collaboration. It provides a rare personal and bird’s-eye view of the ‘ins and outs,’ ‘
ups and downs,’ and behind-the-scenes goings-on of scientific research. Irene Pepperberg humanizes science and her dear friend Alex shows that being called a birdbrain is indeed a compliment of the highest order.”