Scientists believe that Snowball, a member of the parrot family, has given them an insight into how a love of music comes from evolution, as opposed to the current view that it is a phenomenon unique to humans.

Experiments showed that Snowball was able to stay synchronised to the music by the Back Street Boys and Queen despite a wide array of changes in the tempo between songs.

Adena Schachner, lead researcher on the study at the university, said: "Our analyses showed that these birds' movements were more lined up with the musical beat than we'd expect by chance."

Snowball has since become a hit on the popular video sharing site YouTube.

Other animals to gain popularity on the internet include a cat which unusually likes to be showered.

Lucky cat survives 26-storey fall

A cat which escaped out of a New York apartment window and fell 26 storeys onto a balcony has survived.

Keri Hostetler, the owner of aptly-named Lucky, was tidying her home in preparation for guests when she opened the window a short distance, but enough for the adventurous cat to sneak through.

Window washers working on an adjacent building managed to capture Lucky's subsequent slip, taking photos of the cat on a ledge, falling through the air and finally returning back to Earth.

After a short stay in hospital, the cat managed to walk away with minor injuries.

Ms Hostetler told Good Morning America: "He's incredible. He's just an amazing cat."

A cat stuck on a roof in Northern Ireland recently used up one of its nine lives when a rescuer accidentally lost his grip on the animal but was thankfully caught in a net by a helper on the ground, according to the Ballymoney and Moyle Times.

Obamas spark interest surge in Water Dogs

The Kennel Club has witnessed a dramatic surge in enquiries about the Portuguese Water Dog thanks to the introduction of the Obamas' pet dog into the White House.

Since the arrival of Bo into the US president's home, the dog organisation has seen enquiries about the hypoallergenic species of dog increase by 125 per cent - from 730 between November 2007 and April 2008 to 1,645 in the same five-month period this year.

The club said that this will translate into purchases of the species of dog in the coming months but have warned that prospective pet owners must do their research to find the most suitable breed for them.

Caroline Kisko, communications director for the Kennel Club, said that the Obamas' choice "does not mean the breed is for everybody. The Portuguese Water Dog is tremendously lively and energetic and will need an owner who is prepared to give it a lot of exercise in order to keep it fit and healthy".