Your Cockatiel and Pet Bird Encyclopedia

Teaching Your Bird To Talk

Teaching your bird to talk is something that you can start to do almost as soon as you bring it home for the first time.

Some hand-reared parrots may already be starting to speak, although there are individual differences.

Young African Grey Parrots have the potential to develop into the most effective mimics, both speaking with clarity and also whistling tunes. But it is said, according to studies, that they may make no attempt to mimic human speech until they are at least six months old.

As well as its own abilities, the bird’s teacher (you) has the most direct effect on its talking skill.

Teaching Your Bird To Talk

Birds generally find it easier to pick up words from women or children because of their higher pitch.

Again, several short sessions throughout the day are likely to give the best results, with no distractions in the form of other people or background noise.

You should have your bird’s concentration focused on you for the best results.

To start choose a single word or short phrases like Hello or bye-bye. Once your bird has mastered the words, you can add to them to make phrases like ‘hello pretty boy.’

Speaking clearly, repeat the chosen word or phrase slowly and clearly, giving the bird an opportunity to respond before progressing.

You may find that the first words are uttered when you are out of the room, almost as if the bird is practicing its speech by itself.

Never rush your bird by trying to expand its vocabulary too quickly as you will only confuse it.

When teaching your bird to talk, gradually add new words while not neglecting the old ones, which may otherwise be forgotten.

An essential piece of information to teach your bird at an early stage is your telephone number. This can come in useful if it escapes, then whoever finds the bird will be able to contact you.

African gray parrots, Amazon parrots, cockatoos, and cockatiels are perhaps the best-known talkers, but even small parrots, such as budgerigars (also known as parakeets or budgies), Quaker parrots, and lovebirds can be taught to speak over time.

Mynah birds are also excellent mimics and can learn to repeat the ring of the telephone and the doorbell with unerring accuracy. Keep these types of birds out of earshot of these sounds if you can to ensure you can distinguish who is making the sound, or it could get rather irritating.

Some parrots are better talkers than others, but a lot depends on the teaching plan, and whether or not they have been hand-reared as these birds are often encouraged to speak from an early age.