Do parrots talk or mimic?
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Talk or Mimic?
Through the years there has been much debate about whether parrots "talk" or "mimic". I have to wonder if the people that claim that birds "only" mimic have ever been a caregiver to a parrot.
I would have to agree many will "mimic" the phone ringing, the squeaky
door and the sounds of the microwave beeping among other things. But at
the same time, I would have to argue that parrots DO know what they are saying.
I am amazed on a daily basis with our flock. The things that are spoken at the appropriate time and in the correct context has made me a believer that they are fully aware of what they are saying. In the early stages of learning how to talk, I do believe it starts out as mimicking, but they quickly figure out and associate words with action.
Teaching a Parrot to Talk
One
of my biggest pet peeves is those that believe that in order to get
their bird to talk that they need to play a tape recording of a certain
phrase or word for hours a day. My question to them is: "How would
you like to be locked in a room with a tape player repeating the same
phrase for 8 hours a day?" I know that would drive me crazy and I
would probably not be very nice to the person who put me in that
situation. Birds simply learn how to talk in order to be part of their
"human" flock. They learn the quickest when there is drama associated
with the word or phrase.
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Saying the "Right Thing" at the "Right Time"
One example of a parrot understanding of an action with a word is my blue and gold macaw. He is quite in tune with visitors at our house as they gather their belongings to leave my home he knows that they are leaving. We will still be "chatting" at the door and "Vinnie"(my blue and gold macaw) starts saying "Bye".
Everyone jokes that the bird
is kicking them out and letting them know that they have been here long
enough. He knows they are leaving by their actions and he also knows
that when I start putting birds back in their cages, and grabbing my
purse, that I am leaving also and send me off with a pleasant "bye".
Another
example, I was surprised the other evening by my greenwing macaw. I
had just picked up a baby blue and gold macaw and was getting ready to
hand feed him, when my greenwing said in the sweetest
voice...."awwwwww".
How could anyone say that parrots don't know what they are saying?
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I agree...they mimic, but the things they say at the proper time....sometimes blows my mind. We have a young BTMacaw, just learning, a max pionus and a BH Caique...15 or so word vocabulary...shes 6. We'd say her name all the time...she now puts her own spin on it. (her name is Ari) I'm Ari birdy, Ari's sweet...etc...funny thing though...we never said "I'm Ari birdy" we'd say "Hi Ari" or you're name is Ari....where did she get "I'm" .... !!?? Scary!! :)
How do you work with a african grey that bites. I've tried to learn his or her body language and she puts her head down as to let me pet but when I do, she'll put her head straight up as to bite and I pull away. If I use a glove, she will squawk. He/she is a smart bird and can now mimic the barking of my dog, all kinds of phrases when I say hello and sounds but not in th presence of me. She'll do it when the room is empty and talk and talk and talk. The moment someone walks in, she clams up.
How do I make this parrot friendly with a female. My husband and son can hold and pet but not me and I'm the one that feeds, cleans and gives her bath sprays. They do nothing for her but she likes them?...lol
I really want to have this parrot as a pet more then a pet that can freely get in and out of her cage. I have a huge branch on top of her cage so that she can roam around. She doesn't fly away but crawls all over. Otherwise, she's in good health.
Help!
It sounds to me like you do not trust the bird. If you don't trust the bird - the bird will not trust you. Using gloves is a trust breaking action.
In my opinion if a parrot is allowed to go freely in and out of the cage that they get the opinion that they don't need their human.
I always take my parrots out on my hand a, at that point they can play on their cage - go in and out of the cage. I then am also the one to put them back in their cage. Even if they have decided to back on their own, I take them back out for a moment and give them some scritches and kisses and then put them back.
I would also recommend getting a playstand so your bird has a place to play away from the cage.
Some animal can talk to the human. I believe some bird can talk not only mimic the human voice.
I had a real good chuckle over your statement about,...how would you like being locked up in a room with the same phrase being repeated over and over....
I have at some point in time wondered about parots taking, thanks for sharing and making me laugh! Great informative and sassy hub!
Thanks for your feedback Maggie-May! I am happy to hear that you got your 'chuckle for the day'. : )
firas 18 months ago
all of us think that parrot is just Mimic but the truth about parrot that's they talk what you learn them and the right thing at the right time and some times you'll be like :O when parrot make conversation with you and how they feel about every things around 'em like sad and happy and anger and the owner of this bird should be careful about the way they treat these birds