Many of us decide to make a friend to play sports with, such as running. Others want a warm furry animal to keep them warm at night. Still others – for the sake of having a companion at home. However, many people dream of it being a companion with whom they can talk! For such people, the ideal solution would be to buy a parrot. Let’s determine which parrots are the best talkers to make your dreams come true!
Birds speak differently. Some speak quite intelligently and understandably. Others scream in inarticulate sounds, and it is challenging to teach words or sentences.
Which parrots talk best: how to choose a talker
The only way to be 100% sure of getting a bird that will talk is to buy one that already talks. There are better decisions than purchasing a bird just for conversation. After all, parrots are charming and loyal creatures, regardless of their learning abilities.
In the video: Rosella parrot talking to its owner
Most owners still prefer to train their charges on their own. Many even buy tiny babies for their homes before they hear their first words. However, it would be best to be careful what you wish for. After all, birds speak when they want, not when you need it! Some parrots can live with you for many years before they utter their first word. If you are still dreaming of a talking parrot, you first need to understand what kind of parrot you can be taught to speak, so it is better to consider several species of birds and their speech abilities.
Despite the ability of a particular species to speak, purchasing a bird is not a guarantee that the bird will say, even with constant training. In this article, we have collected all the best species at learning and speaking the human language. Let’s take a closer look at each type. Let’s start with the most “talkative.”
Talk to Gray
“African gray parrots have a reputation for being smart and not loud,” Matti Sue Athan, a parrot behavior consultant for the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and author of “The Behaved Parrot,” said in an interview.
Atan reported that the independent development of playing skills also affects the development of the bird’s vocal abilities. Unique toys for birds and intensive training, which the bird masters between the appearance of plumage and the onset of puberty, are the keys to a well-mannered parrot with good vocal and conversational abilities. If Gray is deprived of privileges with toys, this may later affect his behavior—excessive loudness and destructive behavior.
On video: talking gray parrot
The owner of a gray cat named Rocket was amazed by his ability to learn new words every week, and now she knows precisely which parrots speak best. She said that he was prone to self-learning: “One-day Rocket spied on me while eating food, and suddenly said: “I want some…”. I told him: “Rocket, go eat your grain.” He continued to insist: “I want some…”. Then he started doing what I call a somersault. It went up the front of the cage to the top and down the back wall. He saw that his trick still didn’t work (thanks to her, he always got what he wanted before). And when I again repeated that he should eat his bird food, he said: “I want food… Please!” I was amazed at his persistence; besides, he had never used the word “Please” before. Of course, Rocket will get his share of goodies.”
Another owner of a Gray Gray, who currently has a vocabulary of 300 words, said that when the bird was brought from a pet store at the age of 4 months, she immediately greeted the owner with the word: “Hello.” The parrot said hello every time he saw a person. And a little later, he often mixed different words with the mistress’s name, teased her, and laughed. “He knew he was joking and entertaining me. It was great,” says the owner. “He also learned several songs; if you start singing the first verse, he will sing along with the second.”
It’s easy to talk to Quaker parrots.
Despite their small size, comparable to a cockatiel, the Quaker’s vocal abilities are similar to Gray’s. “If you ask me which parrots speak best, I immediately think of Quakers. We live with six Quakers; some talk and some don’t,” says the bird owner. “One of the Quakers is 13 years old, and his favorite time to chat is at night when the lights go out and the cage closes. He loves to repeat his favorite words and phrases in an evident voice. If the TV is too loud or my wife or I laugh loudly, he may scold us, “Go… night, night,” and grumble until we go to bed. His vocalizations are clear and to the point.”
“Skippy, our blue female Quaker, enjoys making barnyard noises and waking up the other birds with the word, ‘Wake up!’ One day my wife put some vitamins in Skippy’s cage, and the bird looked up and said, “Thank you.” In the past, “Thank you” was always used for kisses, not food; somehow, she understood the meaning.
Amazons are good communicators.
The Amazon family includes several species that are gifted talkers. Amazons are easily identified by their predominantly green plumage, complemented by red, yellow, blue, and orange color variations on their heads, wings, and tails.
The most talking parrots of this family:
Yellow-necked Amazon. The ability to reproduce speech manifests even faster than the bird’s quarrelsome nature. They can begin to speak like children and can learn hundreds of words. If you want a bird that talks and is willing to deal with its demanding personality, then this is the parrot for you.
Amazons with yellow crowns are excellent talkers, but yellow-necked Amazons may need to be more proficient with words.
White-fronted Amazon. It is also valued for its ability to speak. It is friendly, hardy, easily tamed, and amenable to training.
Chatty budgie
Perhaps this is the most talkative bird. A wavy bird named Puck has been included in the Guinness Book of World Records as the “Most Talking Bird,” with a vocabulary of over 1,700 words! Despite this, the quality of their speech is still not very high. Budgerigars can babble, so you must listen well to understand individual words. The owner of a parrot named Pipeskyk says she once recorded an entire hour of conversations with her pet. Her opinion remained that even though her charge spoke phrases, he spoke so quickly and quietly that it was difficult to make out the words. Constant training can significantly improve the quality of speech, in her opinion.
What other talking parrots are there?
Eclectus. By the way, it is impossible to unambiguously answer the question: who speaks better – a male or a female? The fact is that these medium-sized parrots have sexual dimorphism: Both sexes can be good talkers. Males are neon green with orange accents, while females are red and blue with black accents. Eclectus are considered gifted talkers.
A rating. These small parrot family members are available in a wide range of colors. Despite their small size, parrots can become good talkers. Their voices are quiet, but they are easy to understand. Solitary parrots make good talkers as they prefer the company and language of birds when kept in pairs or groups.
Cockatoo. These medium and large birds are known for their artistic abilities. However, there is an opinion that in terms of their speech abilities, they are less talented than the Amazons. And yet, some individuals achieve fantastic success! Cockatoo is ready to scream to get your attention. With chronic boredom, domestic birds can tear out their feathers. More suitable for experienced owners.
Corella. Indeed, the cockatiel ” is not a chatterbox like Gray, and the vocabulary is smaller, but the cockatiel can still learn several dozen words. Many owners are interested in how best to teach their cockatiel to talk: turn on a tape recording or devote personal time daily. We recommend starting training with the exact phrase at the same time. For example, before a bird eats breakfast, repeat to it: “Good morning.” When the bird begins to “peck” words, reward it – give it a treat or pet it.
Necklace. With the right approach and education over time, the necklace may please you by reproducing some words. Constant practice will undoubtedly bear fruit, and after some time, depending on your efforts, you will be able to get a talking feathered pet with an arsenal of 50-100 words.
On video: talking necklace parrot
Lovebirds. Teach a lovebird to speak takes work. These birds are more withdrawn and prefer their avian partner. Although, if you establish contact with a lovebird, you can understand how to teach a lovebird to speak: regularly communicate with your pet to teach him words. Repeat the word or phrase you want to teach your bird colloquially. Allow your bird to master one word or phrase before teaching another. Tame parrots can be easily taught to whistle or imitate other birds, but in nature there are not many speaking individuals.
Kakariki. This type of bird is gaining popularity. This type not too talkative: Their words are more like a collection of sounds than articulate phrases. And yet male kakariki parrots speak somewhat better than female ones. Females are practically unteachable, although they can reproduce individual sounds, because in nature, they imitate the hiss of a snake if, for example, a mongoose sneaks towards the nest.
Some tips for studying
- Expect surprises: Talking birds can make unexpected sounds such as barking, meowing, TV sounds or song tunes.
- Avoid teaching swear words: This can cause embarrassment and make it almost impossible to wean your bird off.
- Be patient, if the bird refuses to speak or learning is quite slow. Don’t scold her for this. Remember that a tame and affectionate companion dog that speaks little or nothing is preferable to a wild and aggressive parrot that speaks clearly but resists human interaction.
- Before the purchase think about it: Is it convenient to keep a parrot? ”“ Large talking birds such as Amazons and cockatoos can be very loud and rarely suitable companions for apartment dwellers.
Read more, how to teach a parrot to speak.
This post is also available in ru_RU.
