Alex, an African grey parrot, became the subject of a large-scale scientific study conducted by Irene Pepperberg.
Over 30 years of training, he mastered more than 150 words, learned to distinguish shape, color, and quantity of objects, and demonstrated an understanding of complex concepts such as 'more', 'less', and 'zero'.
Particularly noteworthy is the case from 1980 when Alex, looking at his reflection in the mirror, asked: 'What color?' — this was the first recorded instance of an animal asking a question.
The training method involved interaction with two trainers, which contributed to the development of creative and cognitive skills in the parrot. Alex did not just repeat words but could combine them to create new ones, such as banerry — a mix of the words banana and cherry.
His abilities significantly expanded the understanding of the depth of mental processes in birds and called into question previous views of animals as beings incapable of abstract thinking.
Alex's example inspired scientists to reconsider the boundaries between human and animal intelligence, opening new directions in the study of consciousness and communication in nature.
