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Walk into the home of a parrot owner and you will likely hear a raucous "hello" from the colorful bird. Just what is it about parrots that causes them to talk? A talking bird is a great conversation starter, but before you spend the money on an exotic parrot, make sure you understand why a parrot talks. more »
Looking at the shape of a cockatiel's beak, it's natural to wonder just how it is that a mouth that shape can so closely imitate the sounds of human speech. When we talk, we form words using subtle motions of lips and teeth, motions that the rigid beak of a bird can't imitate. Yet somehow, cockatiels and other talking birds are able... more »
There are more than 350 birds that are considered parrots. These birds are so colorful that they have been referred to as winged rainbows. Although parrots are wild animals, they can be affectionate pets. You can even teach some species to talk. They can be high maintenance pets, but they are intelligent and sensitive creatures. more »
There are quite a few different breeds of parrots that talk. Some talk better than others do, and some have the ability to talk but choose not to. When you are purchasing a parrot, do plenty of research on the care of each breed. Do not purchase a parrot just because it has the ability to talk, because you may end up with a parrot... more »
Most of the birds that can learn to talk are in the parrot family. Parrots seem to have the motor and cognitive skills necessary for mimicking human speech. However, there are other species of bird, such as the Mynah bird, that can also learn to talk. more »
There are over 300 species of parrots in all, some of them quite spectacularly beautiful, and...
Many pet owners enjoy birds because they can learn to talk. Not all pet bird breeds have this ability, and some, like conures, are limited in... more »
With the proper diet, your pet finch could live 15 years or longer. Follow these steps to properly feed your bird. more »
Talking birds are birds that can mimic human speech. Talking birds have varying degrees of intelligence and communication capabilities: some, like the crow, a highly intelligent bird, are only able to mimic a few words and phrases, while some budgerigars have been observed to have a vocabulary of almost two thousand words. The Hill Myna is a commonly kept pet, well known for its talking ability – whilst its relative, the European Starling is also adept at mimicry.
Budgerigars
Puck
In 1995 a budgerigar named Puck was credited by Guinness World Records as having the largest vocabulary of any bird, at 1,728 words.
Sparkie Williams was a talking budgie who has provided the inspiration for an opera performed in Berlin in March 2009.
African Grey Parrots
The African Grey Parrots are particularly noted for their cognitive abilities. Some of the most notable African Grey Parrots are Alex, Prudle, Nkisi and a new rising star, Einstein.
Alex
Alex had a vocabulary of about 100 words, but he was one of the most famous birds because of his cognitive abilities. In 2005, World Science reported that Alex understood the concept of zero. Alex died on September 6, 2007.
Prudle
Prudle held the Guinness world record for bird with biggest vocabulary for many years with a documented vocabulary of 800 words.
Nkisi
Nkisi is noted for his impressive English usage skills and other abilities. As of January 2004, he had a documented vocabulary of 950 words and shows signs of a sense of humor. Nkisi is believed to be one of the most advanced users of human language in the animal world.
Einstein
Einstein appeared on many television shows and became famous for her ability to recreate sounds as well as voice. Video clips show her making the sound of a laser beam and an evil laugh. Trained by Stephanie White.
Sparky
African Grey is a huge favourite on YouTube by copying one liners from the Still Game sitcom in a read more at » http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talking+bird
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