Our feathered friends are among the most intelligent of critters.....
Birds are social creatures in the wild, and when brought into our homes, they naturally view us as part of their social group, wanting to interact, communicate, entertain, and be entertained.
All wild birds learn to mimic their parents and adults of their species early in life. Some can even mimic the sounds of other wild birds. Most known for this behavior are myna birds, the Australian Lyrebird, and the mockingbird. A bird's ability to understand or speak another bird's language can be very a valuable tool in the wild.
So....what about birds who learn to mimic human voices? A pet bird learns to mimic our voice because the sound is interesting to him ~~ and it gets him attention.
It is important to know that the more language they are exposed to, the more language they will learn.
Repeat words or phrases so that your bird will mimic your voice.
Be aware of what you say in front of your pet once your bird does learn to talk.
More than one owner has been embarrassed by something that has come out of their bird's mouth when company is around.
The most effective course of action you can take when your bird is repeating something unwanted is to ignore it, and not provide reinforcement ~ either positive or negative.
One day I was so frustrated at the happenings in the house took all I had to control the "F" word that so desparatly wanted to emerge.... biting my tongue, looking at my greys and frustrated I said very loud and full of emphasis "BIRD"
My one grey's eyes dialated and her head popped up and she said "BIRD"
She says "BIRD" all the time now....and the "F" word come out I'd have a bird with a potty mouth!
You can use a tape recorder or a prerecorded CD to teach your bird words. You can choose the word or phrase you want your bird to learn and simply set your CD player on repeat. Feathered Phonics CDs are available with songs, words, phrases, rhymes, and even barnyard sounds
Companion bird speech peaks at certain times of the day.... like sunset and sunrise.... think of a crowing rooster. These times of day also coincide with the peaks that wild songbirds have in singing.
Also, a bird is likely to mimic a sound that occurs regularly ~ Like the sound of the microwave before dinner or your daily greeting returning home each night.
Higher frequency sounds and voices are more likely to interest birds ~ and to be mimicked ~ than low frequency sounds.
My greys will start beeping like the answering machine to "leave a message" the moment the machine picks up....while you are listening to the messages they will "beep" as well
They will also say "one new message" when they hear the machine beep.
So how do birds talk? That's still up for question.... We use vibrations of our vocal cords to vocalize and our tongue and lips to form words.
A human's vocal cords are located in the larynx.
Birds also have a larynx, but avian speech is not made in the same way. Birds also have a structure in their throats called a syrinx, which is thought to be the source of the sounds they make.
The syrinx has a pair of structures called medial tympaniform membranes, which produce a flow of air in the throat that results in sounds.
It is also thought that a bird's unique respiratory structure, including multiple air sacs, has a function in causing the vibrations of the tympaniform membranes and then.... sound and speech.
Not all birds that can speak, will. Your best bet, if you are determined to have a talking bird, is to adopt an older bird that talks already. Also, a fearful bird will not be likely to speak. Speaking, like singing, is the sign of a healthy, happy, contented bird. Birds can learn to talk from other birds, but sometimes if a bird has another bird companion, he will be less likely to talk, since he is probably already getting the attention he craves.
African Greys are probably best known for their amazing ability to mimic not only the human voice but also an impressive array of environmental sounds.
Cockatiels can talk with training at 8-10 months.
Hyacinth Macaws are extremely intelligent, good talkers, but may only speak for the person with whom they bond.
Moluccan Cockatoos can be taught to talk with positive training
Your parrot is screaming loudly while your watching television, you yell back saying "be quiet". The bird just learned that to get your attention ( which is what he or she may want at the time ) is to Scream loudly over and over to get you to come over to the cage. This practice will soon lead to a problematic bird that starts a screaming behavior that is hard to stop.
Let's say your handling your parrot outside the cage for several minutes. He / She is not having fun or is scared and decides to bite or nip your hand. You yell "ouch" and take the bird back to the cage so you can mend your wound. The bird may just have learned that biting a person will get them back to their cage where they feel safer!
A main point is birds are flock animals and creatures of habit.
You're correct in that not all birds that can talk, will.. but most all birds will learn sounds or behaviors that elicit a response or behavior from you in return.
I just realized yesterday that my parakeet "wags his tail" when I return home after being gone a while.. seriously! I noticed he fluffs up, shakes, and wags his tail a few times when I enter the room. If he's content when I talk to him, he'll stretch his legs and wings several times.
You're correct in that not all birds that can talk, will.. but most all birds will learn sounds or behaviors that elicit a response or behavior from you in return.
That's what my above statement means....
Every good or bad behavior that is rewarded will be repeated
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