Which Parrots Are the Best Talkers?

Parrots are gorgeous and charming; some are better talkers than other birds.

Some parrots are born with the ability to develop the gift of gab. The African Grey, Quaker parrot, Indian Redneck parrot and the Electus parrot are some of the best talking birds. Parrots don't have vocal cords; they mimic sounds by using their trachea and syrinx. Some use their tongue to produce sounds. The way a parrot creates sounds is similar to when humans whistle.

African Grey Parrot

"African greys have been positioned as the most intelligent, the best speakers...," according to Parrotalert.org. This pretty bird has the ability to hear sounds, mimic them and is able to memorize a large vocabulary. You can come close to carrying an entire conversation with one that is trained to talk. The African grey parrot is a mid-sized highly intelligent and charming bird. The Egyptians contained drawings of the African grey in their hieroglyphics. Irene Pepperberg, a Harvard graduate student, conducted a 30-year study on an African grey named Alex. She concluded that Alex was a good talker, and was able to show signs of being able to think, when he answered several questions of how he viewed the world, according to National Geographic.

Quaker Parrot

The Quaker parrot has the ability to become a chatterbox. This green and grey bird can replicate various human voices; it can learn many words and how to communicate with its owner. The most effective way to teach the Quaker to talk is to allow the bird to hear words repeated several times, and associate each word with something meaningful. Quakers who are taught to speak at a young age are able to successfully mimic sounds. The Quaker can still learn to communicate at an old age. The most important factor in training them to speak is the bond that you have with it. This bird needs to want to talk, otherwise it won't. In certain states, in the United States, it is illegal to own a Quaker parrot.

Electus Parrot

The Electus parrot is considered to be one of the top three talking parrots, according to the Avian Network. The females are predominantly bright red, and the males are shiny green with a yellow beak. This beautiful bird is very social in nature, energetic and highly intelligent. The Electus loves to interact with people and keeping busy. Talking with the Electus is highly desirable. The Electus craves attention, needs a variety of activities, likes playing with different toys, and enjoys lots of exercise. The Electus has a large wingspan, and requires a large space to fly around.

Indian Redneck Parrot

The Indian Redneck parrot is found in the forests of Africa and Asia. This small green bird loves to talk, speaks with clarity, shows off, is intelligent and easy to train. This pretty bird "learns speech with ease," according to Winged Wisdom Magazine. The Indian Redneck comes in various pastel shades of blue, yellow and green. This bird is lovable, very social and requires tremendous amounts of activity and attention.

References

• Parrot Alert: African Grey Parrots
• Avian Network: Electus as Pets
• National Geographic: Animal Minds
• Quaker Parrots: Teaching Your Parrot to Talk
• Birds n Ways: Winged Wisdom: Introduction to Ringneck Parakeets