America's Got Talent Chicken Plays The Piano
Have you ever heard of a chicken playing the piano? It may sound like a silly notion, but recently, it has become a sensation on America's Got Talent. The question is, is it really possible for a chicken to play the piano?
The Backstory
America's Got Talent is known for bringing unique and sometimes bizarre acts to the stage. However, when a chicken named Jokgu appeared on the show, no one knew what to expect.
Jokgu, an Asian breed of chicken, is part of a group called the Flockstars. The group consists of seven chickens that were trained by animal behavioralist Shannon Myers to play different musical instruments. Jokgu, in particular, was trained to play the keyboard.
The Performance
During their performance on America's Got Talent, Jokgu was placed on top of a specially designed keyboard that had pressure plates instead of keys. These pressure plates would trigger different notes when Jokgu pecked at them.
Jokgu's performance was a rendition of "America the Beautiful" and while it may have seemed like the chicken was playing the piano, it was actually triggering pre-recorded notes through its pecks.
Is It Possible?
So, the question remains, can a chicken actually play the piano? The answer is no.
While chickens may show incredible cognitive abilities, their lack of opposable thumbs and dexterity make it impossible for them to play the piano in the traditional sense. The Flockstars and their performances rely on pre-recorded music and specially designed instruments to create the illusion that the chickens are playing music.
Still, the Flockstars have managed to showcase the unique abilities of chickens and have brought joy to millions of people through their performances.
The Science Behind It
As mentioned earlier, animal behavioralist Shannon Myers trained the Flockstars to play different musical instruments. However, this was not an easy feat. It required an in-depth understanding of chicken behavior and cognition.
Chickens have been shown to possess advanced cognitive abilities such as object permanence, numerical discrimination, and social learning. However, their cognitive abilities are limited by their small brains and lack of a neocortex, which is responsible for higher order thinking in mammals.
Despite these limitations, chickens can still learn new behaviors through positive reinforcement training. This involves rewarding desirable behaviors with treats or other incentives.
The Final Verdict
While the idea of a chicken playing the piano may be amusing, it is not possible in the traditional sense. However, the Flockstars and their performances are a testament to the incredible abilities of animals and the power of positive reinforcement training.
Who knows what other amazing animal talents we will discover in the future? For now, we can sit back, enjoy the show, and marvel at the unique talents of the Flockstars.
