Parrot Talking up a Storm!

Of the thousands and thousands of different birds in the world, few have the reputation of the parrot for talking up a storm. True, a bird can learn to mimic a few words, but the parrot is known for talking. Visit a pet store where there is a parrot talking, and you may hear non-stop chatter!

Parrot Talking in the Wild

If parrot talking is so prevalent in captivity, might you also hear parrot talking in the wild?

You will, of course, hear parrots talking to one another. They have their own language, and are a very social bird, so they talk frequently as they interact with one another. However you are not likely to hear parrot talking in the sounds of humans in the wild - unless they escaped captivity.

Although you are not likely to hear parrot talking in the wild, you may hear parrots mimicking other sounds. This is still only a theory, but it is thought that parrot talking in the wild takes the form of imitating other sounds to trick predators and competitors so they will not bother the parrot.

Why Parrot Talking Is Possible

Parrot talking is possible because the birds are equipped to do more than squawk, whistle, or sing. Unlike songbirds, parrots have a tongue and voice box shaped in a way that facilitates mimicking of sounds.

The way in which parrot talking takes place is different from human talking, even though it can often sound much like a human voice. Parrots have no vocal cords. To make up for that lack, they learn to control the movement of throat muscles. As muscles move in different ways, they direct airflow and reproduce a variety of tones and sounds.

Why Parrot Talking Occurs

We know that parrot talking occurs within the wild family, and we know why it is possible for parrots to mimic humans, but why does parrot talking occur in your home? Why does a caged parrot decide to communicate by mimicking human sounds?

It has been shown that parrots are among the world’s most intelligent birds. They enjoy exercising their intellect. They enjoy learning new things.

They also enjoy attention. If they are to be part of your “flock” and you show no interest in learning their language, they will try to learn yours in order to communicate and interact with you. In the world of parrots, parrot talking is the best way to get attention.

When parrot talking occurs, or the parrot mimics other sounds in the home, you know that the parrot is interested in “its” humans. It is a healthy, alert bird that is interested in other members of the flock. It knows instinctively that life is better when you communicate. It is easier to find food, watch for danger, and build nests.

Parrot talking, then, is simply a new family member trying to speak your language. A happy parrot engages in parrot talking to tell you he likes you, or to remind you that he wants your attention.

How to Encourage Parrot Talking

1. Parrot talking is easily taught and encouraged by those who have good relationships with their birds. If your parrot is one that is known for being a good talker, just talk to it. Every time you are near the cage, talk to the bird. Avoid baby talk - unless you want it to talk like a baby - but teach it the same way you would teach a human child.

* Greet it first thing in the morning by saying, “Good morning.”
* When you feed it, name bits of food: “seed”, “nut”, “grape”, etc.
* If you look out the window by its cage and see rain, tell the bird, “It’s raining.” If the sun is shining, say, “What a nice day!”
* Last thing in the evening, tell the bird, “Good-night.”

Even such slight involvement will soon produce parrot talking.

2. Besides maintaining a good relationship with your bird, you can encourage parrot talking with lots of praise. If you have a good relationship, your parrot already loves getting attention from you. It will respond quickly to your praise. All you need to do is turn toward the bird, make eye contact, and praise it for talking: “Good bird!”

Hint: Parrot talking may sound like gobbledygook at first. Praise beginning efforts, but don’t give too much praise for words that are unclear. Likewise with words that you do not want to have repeated. Give huge praise, though, for words that are mimicked clearly, and that you want to keep in your parrot’s vocabulary.