How to teach a parrot to talk: To make a parrot talk, you have to be patient and keep in mind that some species are less able than others to imitate sounds.
Many people have opted for a parrot as a pet for its ability to speak. Unfortunately, this ability is sometimes far removed from the upbeat monologues sold in the film industry.
However, with the 5 tips below, you may be able to teach your parrot to talk like a pro. If you can’t, it goes without saying that you will have to love your pet the same way for the rest of its life.
Parrot species
The term parrot is used to refer to several species of birds belonging to the order Psittaciformes. This group brings together about 393 different species, which are divided into 92 genera. 16 or more are in danger of extinction in their natural environment, mainly due to forest clearance and hunting for illegal trade.
The different species of parrots do not have the same abilities. Some of the most talkative parrots include the African grey parrot ( Psittacus erithacus ), the blue-fronted amazon ( Amazona aestiva ), the sulfur-crested cockatoo ( Cacatua galerita ), and the cockatiel ( Nymphicus hollandicus ). In general, these birds are characterized by their large size and very long life expectancy.
Small birds, including budgies ( Melopsittacus undulatus ), quaker parrots ( Myiopsitta monachus ), and lovebirds (genus Agapornis ) can learn to talk with time and patience, but they are not natural talkers. The natural intelligence of these animals will allow them to understand words and sometimes whole sentences.
Almost all parrots have the ability to mimic human speech, but smaller species are less likely to show this characteristic.
Easy words for parrots to learn
Whatever species you have chosen to introduce into your home, all education begins with simple steps. To teach your parrot to talk, start with basic words like “hello,” “goodbye,” or “parrot. ” Once you have familiarized him with these words, you can expand your pet’s vocabulary.
To make a parrot talk, the key is repetition
parrots learn new sounds by imitation. For your parrot to fully understand the sounds you make, it is essential that you repeat them tirelessly in his presence, until he learns to distinguish them and, later, to reproduce them.
In captivity, parrots eventually get used to everyday sounds, like the doorbell or even the microwave, and they eventually reproduce them over time. This is one of the African grey parrot’s main abilities.
Speak clearly
To teach your parrot to talk, you need to use the same pitch and cadence every time you try to teach him a word. It has been proven that birds, like dogs and cats, learn best when spoken to in a high-pitched voice.
Do not skimp on the rewards
The positive reinforcement technique doesn’t just work with cats and dogs. Each time your pet reproduces a word correctly, offer him a treat on hand to encourage him to continue his progress.