Parrots are extremely social creatures that cannot tolerate loneliness or boredom.
All social beings must communicate with each other. Most animals do this through body language—barely noticeable to us humans. This is an ancient class of birds that, unlike other animals, has a unique vocal apparatus.
This vocal apparatus and amazing brain help parrots pronounce any difficult sounds, including imitating human speech. This allows birds to communicate not only with their relatives, but also with people.
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 a bird that already talks. In fact, buying a bird just for conversation is not entirely the right decision. 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 prefer to buy very tiny babies for their home before they hear their first words. However, you need to be careful what you wish for. After all, birds speak when they want, and not when you need it! Some parrots can live with you for many years before they utter their first word. If you still dream of a talking parrot, then first you need to understand what kind of parrot 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 speak, even with constant training. We have collected in this article all the species that are best at learning and speaking human language.
Let's take a closer look at each type. Let's start with the most “talkative”.
Cockatoo
Large parrots of the cockatoo (lat. Cacatuidae) are also excellent imitators. They grow from 30 to 60 cm. They have a massive, curved and very strong beak, which can split wooden things, including cage bars and furniture. They can even handle thin wire rods.
The cockatoo has two distinctive features:
- a large mandible that covers the mandible like a bucket;
- the presence of a crest.
The crest is different in color from the rest of the plumage. When a parrot is excited, its crest is fluffed. The plumage can be of various colors, except blue and green.
The homeland of cockatoos is New Guinea, Indonesia, the Philippine Islands, and Australia. There are 21 species of these birds, among which the most popular are :
- yellow-crested;
- Moluccan;
- pink;
- white-crested;
- Tanimbar.
The cockatoo does not have a good memory; it can learn about 10 words and a couple of phrases. His breeder can also teach the bird tricks. But he learns a variety of sounds independently and with pleasure.
The cockatoo is an excellent companion for humans; it easily becomes attached to them and is loyal. He gets bored if no attention is paid to him or if he is left alone at home for a long time. Long trips of a beloved owner can become real stress for a bird. There have been cases when parrots in such situations refused to eat and drink, plucked their feathers, and then died. Therefore, for those whose work involves business trips, it is better not to have such a bird src=”https://pets2.me/media/res/1/4/9/2/1492.osm6qo.jpg” class=”aligncenter” width= “752″ height=”452″[/img] It is also important to know that cockatoos bite painfully, even to the point of breaking the finger of the person who offended him. The bird can be touchy and vindictive. For the same reason, you should not accept her into a family that plans to or already has a small child. Cockatoos are usually not friends with children.
It would be useful to know that these birds are noisy and can be quite aggressive if they don’t like something. However, they can be taught the word “no”. With proper care, attention and affection, the pet will pay in kind.
The lifespan of a cockatoo is 30–40 years.
The cost of adult individuals of these talking parrots is 1–2.5 thousand dollars.
Did you know? Parrots have been kept as pet birds for three thousand years. The first to domesticate them were the ancient Egyptians.
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 independent development of playing skills also affects the development of the bird’s vocal abilities. Special toys for birds, intensive training, which the bird masters in the period between the appearance of plumage and the onset of puberty, is the key to a well-mannered parrot with good vocal and conversational abilities. If the Gray is deprived of privileges with toys, then this may later affect his behavior - excessive loudness and destructive behavior in general.
On video: talking gray parrot
The owner of a gray gray cat named Rocket was amazed by his ability to learn new words every week, and now she knows exactly which parrots speak best. She said that he is prone to self-learning : “Once 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 (and it was thanks to her that he always got what he wanted before). And when I again repeated that he should go eat his bird food, he said: “I want food... Please!” I was amazed at his persistence, and 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 name of the mistress, teased her and laughed. “He knew he was joking and entertaining me. It was great,” says the owner. “He also learned several songs, and if you start singing the first verse, he will definitely sing along with the second.”
Indian ring-necked parrot (Cramer's ringed parakeet)
This beautiful, intelligent, medium-sized bird in nature has mostly greenish plumage with a black necklace around the neck, but many colored forms have been bred today for home keeping - from snow-white or blue to motley.
This species has also been known to people since ancient times, it is very unpretentious, easily adaptable and is one of the most common feathered pets.
The main disadvantage of keeping a necklace parrot at home is its extremely unpleasant sharp squeal in case of fright or stress. Otherwise, this bird fits perfectly into the human “flock”.
Kramer's parrot is good-natured, cheerful, loves to play and is a good learner. He is able to imitate various sounds, remember and reproduce dozens of words, and his “speech” will be quite clear. During the period of courtship with the female, the male constantly chirps melodiously.
It's easy to talk to Quaker parrots
Despite their small size, comparable to a cockatiel, the Quaker's vocal abilities are comparable to those of a Gray. “If you ask me which parrots speak best, I will immediately think of Quakers. We live with six Quakers; some of them 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 a very clear voice. If the TV is too loud or my wife or I are laughing loudly, he may scold us, “Go... night, night,” and will continue to 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.
Corella
Corella (lat. Nymphicus hollandicus) is a medium-sized bird, about 30 cm high. It is easily recognized by the crest on its head and long (14-16 cm), pointed tail. Typically, the plumage of males is somewhat brighter than that of females. Their body is predominantly gray, the front of the head is yellow, and the cheeks are orange. However, breeders have developed other colors that are increasingly gaining popularity.
The cockatiel is native to Australia.
Their speaking abilities are average - up to 10 words and phrases . They reproduce sounds well, including those of everyday objects around them. They need to be taught speech from a young age. Only tamed chicks can be trained.
Corella is an excellent companion, he loves when his owner takes him in his arms, is affectionate with him, and devotes a lot of time to training and playing with him. Grooming for this breed is minimal. The bird can express its dissatisfaction with a shrill cry. The owner of this feathered creature should also know that it is not difficult for him to open locks. Corellas live up to 20-25 years.
The cost of adult individuals ranges from 100-150 dollars.
Important! When buying a parrot, you need to understand that regular communication and learning tricks are mandatory for the normal existence of a pet. This must be done by mutual agreement and if both participants in the process are in a good mood. If you are often not at home during the day, you can turn on the radio or tape recorder for your pet.
Amazons are good communicators
The Amazon family includes several species that are gifted talkers. Amazons are easily identified by their predominantly green plumage with color variations of red, yellow, blue and orange on their heads, wings and tails.
The most talking parrots of this family:
Yellow-necked Amazon. The ability to reproduce speech manifests itself 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 are willing to deal with its demanding personality, then this is the parrot for you.
Amazon with a yellow crown. Yellowcrowns are excellent talkers, but may not be as proficient with words as yellownecked Amazons.
White-fronted Amazon. Also valued for its ability to speak. It is friendly, hardy, easily tamed and amenable to training.
Laurie
Loris (lat. Loriinae) are among the most capable parrots - they can learn up to 70 words . In this case, the person may not even take part in the training. But their main characteristic is: “screamers and slobs.” When eating liquid food, they scatter it around the cage and very often scream shrilly in a squeaky voice. Litter will have to be removed daily.
In addition, these birds are selective in food and require a room temperature of around 20°C.
Loris grow from 18 to 40 cm. They have beautiful variegated plumage with a predominance of green and red colors. Their beak is small and weak, red in color.
In the wild, lorises live in the forests of Indonesia, Australia, New Guinea, and the Philippines. There are 62 species of loris.
Loris are usually very friendly birds. They love and get along with small children. Aggression is unfamiliar to them. Lorises live up to 20 years.
The cost of such a parrot is about $500.
Find out how to keep crossbills and siskins in your home.
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 speak very quickly, so you need to listen well to understand individual words. The owner of a parrot named Pipeskyk says that she once recorded an entire hour of conversations with her pet. Her opinion remained that despite the fact that her charge spoke phrases, he spoke so quickly and/or 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.
Aratingi. These small members of the parrot family are available in a wide range of colors. Despite their small size, parrots can become good talkers. Their voices are not loud, 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 to large birds are known for their artistic abilities . Although there is an opinion that in their speech abilities they are not as talented as the Amazons. And yet some individuals achieve amazing success! Cockatoos are ready to scream to get your attention. With chronic boredom, domestic birds can tear out their feathers. More suitable for experienced owners.
Corella. Of course, the cockatiel is not such a talker as the Gray , and the vocabulary is smaller, but the cockatiel is still able to 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 every day. We recommend starting training with the same phrase at the same time. For example, before a bird eats breakfast, repeat to it: “Good morning.” When the bird begins to “peck” words, be sure to reward it - give it a treat or pet it.
Necklace. With the right approach and upbringing , over time, the Ozherelovy can please you with the reproduction of some words . Constant practice will certainly 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. Teaching a lovebird to speak is not easy. 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 species is not very talkative : their words are more like a set 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.
Macaw
Another intellectual among parrots is the macaw (lat. Ara). In addition, he is also handsome - he has bright plumage of all kinds of colors and shades. Macaws reach sizes up to 50 cm. They have the strongest beak among all parrots. They have it very bent.
The macaw is native to Central and South America. Their genus includes 36 species. Unfortunately, seven of them no longer exist.
The macaw can only learn as many words as, for example, Grays or Amazons - usually about 20 . However, they always insert them for the purpose, which gives the person the impression that he is really having a conversation with the bird. In addition to words, macaws perfectly copy various sounds, for example, those belonging to natural phenomena - rain, murmur of water, or to the animal world - barking, howling, mooing, etc.
Macaws are unpretentious in their care. They are calm in character and reasonable. Usually they don't shout unless there is a need. Their voice and scream are very annoying to some people, so before purchasing such a bird, you need to listen to how it screams. The average lifespan of a macaw is 60 years.
The cost of adult individuals ranges from 1.5 to 3 thousand dollars.
Important! Feeding parrots chocolate, avocados, salt and alcohol is prohibited. It is considered poisonous to birds
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Some tips for studying
- Expect surprises: Talking birds may make unexpected sounds, such as barks, meows, television sounds, or song tunes.
- Avoid teaching swear words : this can cause embarrassment, and it will be almost impossible to wean the 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 buying , consider whether it will be comfortable 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 about how to teach a parrot to speak.
Noble green-red parrot (Eclectus)
Green yellow-billed males and cherry-red black-billed females of eclectus (or noble parrots) are not yet the most common pets in our latitudes, although they have “settled” in European homes since the mid-19th century. For their intelligence and extraordinary affection towards their owner, many breeders call them ideal parrots.
Unlike the rowdy brethren that we described above, this rather large Australian parrot is quite calm, kind and even phlegmatic. He is able to become incredibly attached to a human friend, and is also unusually smart and easy to learn. It is believed that male eclectuses make contact with humans more easily, while the female’s trust must also be earned through a patient, friendly attitude.
Eclectus is quite easy to teach words, songs and even some tricks. But if the bird doesn’t like something (and at first it can be any sounds that are strange to it, like a washing machine turning on), it screams loudly and sharply.
