A nutcracker: parrot opening a pistachio

Loki the white bellied caique loves pistachios. Parrots are often called hookbills, which is an avicultural term based on the shape of the beak or bill. This distinguishes parrots from softbills and other birds, such as doves and finches. The function of the parrot beak is for climbing, as well as manipulating and crushing objects. They can multitask by carrying objects in their beaks and climb to different locations. Their tongues are used to manipulate their food inside their bill. Although their tongues may look unimpressively blobby, parrots are unusual among birds in having muscles in their tongue, like we do. Most birds don't have muscles in the front third of their tongue at all. Loki demonstrates all of this very well and imitates a "nutcracker". So amazing!!