Who You Calling A Birdbrain?

They obviously have a better class of pigeon Down Under in Australia.

Instead of pecking around on the filthy pavements among cigarette butts, chewing gum and other human litter, they prefer to sip clean, fresh water and go to great lengths for a bath.

The trio pictured here, in Brisbane, Queensland, appear to have worked out a clever system of subverting the water fountain built by humans for humans to their own selfish pigeon purposes.

Cool: drink: As one pigeon sucks up water (left), another stands on the lever (right) and the third keeps watch.

After surreptitiously waiting for the fountain to be free, the instigator of the group jumps on the lever and pushed it down to fill up the bowl. While another kept watch, the third member of the group splashed in to get a little personal time. When it had drunk its fill and cleaned its feathers, the third pigeon nonchalantly hopped up to the handle to let his friends have a chance.

The three birds continued their bathing ritual for ten minutes, entertaining passers-by in Post Office Square, in Brisbane's bustling business district.

Pigeons, unlike other birds who need to hold their heads back in order to swallow, use their beak like a straw.

Though they aren't very popular in some parts of the world and are even referred to as rats of the sky, pigeons are considered among the most intelligent of all the bird species. Just look at this neat little scam these three have pulled off time and time again.

They have just finished having a few drinks and a spa treatment AND they stuck the City of Brisbane with the water bill!

Kudos to the photographer who knew a great shot when he saw it!