PORTO VELHO, BRAZIL - An unusual incident was recorded by a farmer in Rondônia state, Brazil, in a video showing a parrot, a wild Amazonian bird, apparently intoxicated. The footage shows the animal struggling to maintain balance and fly.

Farmer Oseias Duarte spotted the bird inside a cacao plantation. He said he found it lying on the ground and tried to help it. “I placed the parrot on a branch, but when I passed by again, it tried to fly and fell. That’s when I decided to record the video,” he said.

Duarte suggested the bird may have eaten cacao. According to him, the fruit ferments quickly when left unrefrigerated, developing a stronger smell and taste, which may have attracted the parrot.

Bird specialists explain that fermented fruits can produce small amounts of alcohol, capable of causing intoxication-like effects in animals. Although it is generally not a severe intoxication, it can leave the animal vulnerable to predators.

They also note that consuming fermented fruits can indeed lead to behavioral changes in animals, but warn that the observed behavior may also be linked to an underlying health issue.

Duarte said he did not see the parrot again the following day. According to him, his plantation is frequently visited by wild animals, including parrots and monkeys.

Amazon Agency