African Gray Parrot

African gray parrots voluntarily help others in experimental settings, and their helping follows reciprocal patterns. In token-exchange experiments, parrots can pass tokens through a partition to a partner who can then exchange tokens for food. Parrots help partners who've helped them previously—tracking and reciprocating specific individuals' assistance.

The helping is genuinely voluntary. Parrots must actively choose to pass tokens; they're not trained to do so. When the partner cannot reciprocate (the partition is closed or the partner lacks tokens), parrots still help—suggesting initial generosity. But helping decreases over time if the partner doesn't reciprocate when able. The pattern matches generous tit-for-tat: start cooperative, continue cooperating with cooperators, reduce investment in defectors.

Partner familiarity affects helping. Parrots help familiar partners more than strangers, and long-term bonded pairs help each other most. The relationship investment pays off—building cooperation history increases the probability of receiving help when needed. Strangers must prove themselves reciprocators.

Unlike some corvids, parrots don't cache food extensively. Their reciprocity therefore centers on immediate assistance rather than long-term food storage. This demonstrates that reciprocal helping doesn't require the planning horizon of caching species.

For organizations, African gray parrots demonstrate that voluntary helping follows reciprocal logic even without economic incentives. Parrots help those who've helped them—no training or payment required. The underlying psychology of reciprocity appears widespread.