How to Encourage an African Grey Parrot to Speak

Co-authored by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS and Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA

Last Updated: June 11, 2020 References

African grey parrots are known for their skill at reproducing human speech. Parrots naturally want to fit in with their flock, so when their companion is a human, they mimic speech to be like their owner.^{[1]
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National Audubon Society
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Go to source} If you’re lucky enough to own an African grey parrot, then you’re likely eager to teach it to speak. Encouraging your African grey parrot to speak can be a fun and engaging way to spend time with your pet.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Helping Your Bird Learn to Mimic

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Talk to your bird regularly. Make it a habit to speak to your bird even before you start training it to mimic what you say. African greys are social birds who want to interact with you. They will learn to talk so that they can fit into the household as they would into a flock in the wild. However, your bird will only learn to talk if it recognizes that it’s how you communicate.^{[2]
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- Tell them about your day and what you are doing. For example, say, “Time to feed Henry,” “Let’s watch TV,” or “Bedtime.”
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Start with simple words. Begin with easy single words like “Hello,” “Goodbye,” and your bird’s name. Once your bird has mastered simple words, you can try to teach it phrases.^{[3]
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3
Say words and phrases the same way each time. Your bird will learn through repetition and recognizing patterns, so be consistent with your phrasing. For example, you can teach your parrot to say “Hello” when you walk in by saying "Hello" each time you enter. However, it won’t learn to greet you if you sometimes say things like, “Hey,” “What’s up,” or “Howdy.”^{[4]
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4
Use an enthusiastic tone. Your bird will best learn phrases that are said with energy. Owners are often upset when they spend weeks trying to get a bird to say “Thank you” only to have it learn “Shut up!” after hearing it once. Use an excited tone when you say what you want the bird to learn so that it wants to mimic the word or phrase.^{[5]
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Speak loudly and clearly. Don’t shout, but use a volume that makes the word or phrase easy for your bird to pick up. This will help your bird hear you clearly so that it can possibly mimic the sounds.^{[6]
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- Be sure to enunciate your words rather than mumbling them, as your parrot will not be able to accurately mimic the sound if it’s muffled.^{[7]
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- Some birds benefit from listening to a recording of your voice. You should play it for 30 minutes at a time.
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Repeat the same word in varying tones. Say the word you want your bird to learn repeatedly so that it picks up on the sound. African greys often learn to mimic common household sounds like the doorbell, phone ringing, or sounds made by other pets because they are consistently repeated. You’ll need to do the same with the words you teach it. Try varying your tone of voice, pitch, and how you say the word(s). This will make the word or phrase stand out to the bird, which will make it interesting.^{[8]
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- Try using a high pitched voice.^{[9]
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7
Repeat back what you think your bird is trying to say. If you think your bird is trying to speak, repeat back what you think it’s saying. Show your bird that you are excited by smiling and being enthusiastic.^{[10]
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Research source} Give it treats if it hasn’t already had too many for that day.
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Keep using learned words and phrases. Your parrot can forget what it learns, so don’t assume that once it’s learned a word or phrase that it will keep saying it. You need to keep using the words and phrases you want it to remember and reward your bird for continued success.^{[11]
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Reward your bird. Give your birds tons of praise and a small treat that you only give during training. Start by saying the word and then giving the treat. After you train the bird to expect a treat, wait for your bird to try to say the word before you give the treat. Over time, the bird will learn to say the word without you needing to reward it.^{[12]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Choosing What to Teach Your Parrot

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Focus on common phrases. Common phrases like greetings are easiest for your bird to learn. Because these phrases are formulaic and repeated often, the bird can even use them in context. For example, your bird can learn to tell you things like “Good morning,” “Hello,” and “Welcome home.”^{[13]
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- Make a habit of saying the same common phase to your bird at the appropriate time. For example, tell it “Good morning” when you remove its cage cover.^{[14]
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Have conversations with others in front of your bird. For example, have a friend or another member of your household help you train the bird by welcoming you home after work or asking about your day. Your bird will watch these interactions and try to imitate them. Pretty soon, your bird will welcome you home and ask about your day when you return from work.
3
Teach your bird the names of its foods. Your African grey is capable of learning and remembering what each food is called. This means that your bird can actually talk to you about what it likes to eat.^{[15]
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- Say the name of the food as you put it into the bird’s cage. When the bird does start to try to say the name of the food, give it a piece as a reward.^{[16]
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4
Teach them to label things. Just as they can learn the names of their foods, African greys can learn to label other items, such as their toys or pieces of wood.^{[17]
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Research source} They can even learn to identify the colors of the objects.
5
Play call and response games to teach responses. Some parrots will learn to respond to questions. To teach them responses, quietly state the question, then enthusiastically say the response. The bird will pick up on the excited response, which is what you want it to mimic. Over time, you can ask the question and get the taught response.^{[18]
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- A common example is “Who’s a pretty bird?” followed by “I am!”

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Avoiding Problems

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Avoid teaching your bird profanity. Parrots like to repeat things that get attention because they want to be part of the household. This means that they often learn profanity because it attracts everyone’s attention, and the response is often humor. Watch your language around your bird and ask your guests to do the same.^{[19]
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- Instruct your family and visitors not to react if the bird says profanity.
- Ask people not to curse in front of the bird.
2
Ignore words and phrases you want your bird to stop repeating. If your bird is saying the same thing over and over, ignore the bird while it’s talking. Don’t look at your bird or respond to it.
- Alternatively, you can say a different word each time the bird says the word or phrase you want it to stop saying.^{[20]
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Give your bird breaks. While the bird needs repetition to learn, space out training sessions. Use the same word about six times per session, and spread training periods throughout the day. If you pressure your bird too hard, it could get frustrated and refuse to learn.^{[21]
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4
Accept that some African greys may not learn to speak. While African greys are known as being the best speaking birds, your bird may only learn a few words or may not learn to speak at all. Don’t be mad at your bird if it can’t learn to talk. Continue to reward it when it tries to make sounds.^{[22]
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Place the bird in a high-traffic area. Don’t isolate your bird by secluding it in a low-traffic area, such as a closed off bedroom. Make your pet a focal point of your home. If you live with others, treat your bird as a member of the family. If you live alone, treat your bird as a child or roommate.^{[23]
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- Always greet your bird when you get home, and say good bye when you leave.
- Tell it good morning and good night.
- Allow your bird to fly outside its cage whenever you can supervise it.

Warnings

Parrots eagerly learn naughty words, profanity, and phrases like “Shut up,” so watch your language around your bird.

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