Birds can be great long-term companions, and birds that talk can be even more fitting for owners looking for unconventional pets. Here, our Clarksville vets share some of the best talking birds you can adopt, their usual personalities, and what you need to know before adopting them.
What are the best types of talking birds?
Talking birds make for exciting and engaging pets, but they do not get that way on their own. Any bird, especially one that can talk, requires plenty of patience and dedication from their owners when adopted.
So long as you give your bird a happy and content home, they can live long, fulfilling lives, chatting with you about anything and being loving pets.
In return, you'll have a devoted companion who will constantly charm, amuse, and entertain you. Each breed will have its own quirks and personalities, so get to know them all and find one you adore. Here is our selection of the top talking birds.
African Grey
Widely considered to be the smartest, most intelligent talking bird in the world, the African grey parrot originally hails from West and Central African rainforests and can grow a vocabulary of hundreds of words. They are known for their exceptional understanding and imitation of human speech.
As they tend to attach to only one person, their ability to learn new words will be determined by their relationship with their owner. They learn from the different types of voices that surround them, and they are intelligent enough to make different sounds to frighten off predators. Providing plenty of treats as they learn will aid in their rapid improvement of communication skills.
Double Yellow Head Amazon
This medium-sized, strikingly bright-colored parrot holds the distinction of being one of the most popular pet species of the Amazon parrot group. An affectionate pet, they are intelligent and will soak up your attention, so beware that this beauty will need a lot of it.
It has an incredible ability to mimic human voices (including opera singing) and a love of music. You two will make some lovely music together. A word of caution about this bird: it is a boisterous, noisy bird that will frequently scream twice a day, at dawn and dusk. Though normal, these can be startling and last longer if the bird is bored due to a lack of mental stimulation or attention.
Budgerigar
This bird, also referred to as a parakeet or budgie, makes a wonderful pet and is capable of picking up a wide variety of songs and phrases. Don't be misled by this timid little parrot; budgies now hold the record for having the largest bird vocabulary. While vocabulary varies between people, not all species have the same potential.
They are very smart, social birds who enjoy practicing chatting with their caretakers. You’ll find they tend to imitate words their owner frequently uses. Both females and males can imitate human speech, though male birds appear better at speaking words in the right tone than females.
Electus Parrot
Some parrots are so good at mimicking human speech and the sounds they hear around them that they will even learn an entire song and sing it for you. Both men and women have charming voices and characteristics.
They are typically gentle and friendly, thrive on socialization with caretakers, and are not usually excessively boisterous or noisy.
Indian Ringneck Parakeet
The intelligent and well-known talkers known as Indian Ringneck Parakeets have a knack for learning both longer phrases and shorter words. They don't like to imitate human voices, preferring to speak in their distinctive, high-pitched "bird voice." The ability to memorize dozens or even hundreds of words is common.
Provided they are properly socialized and handled daily by their caretakers, are they typically charming birds who love learning new tricks (think waving hello with a foot).
Do all parrots talk?
No. Each bird, like humans, is unique, and some will never learn to speak, regardless of species. Choose a bird for its distinct personality and because you want to give a feathered friend a good home, not because you hope it will be able to converse.
How much does a talking parrot cost?
Most types of talking birds (in the parrot or parakeet family) require a great commitment of time and finances. Any bird of this kind can range from $20 to $5000.