Talking bird

The eclectus parrot (Eclectus roratus) is a strong talker, although these abilities depend entirely on training from an early age.[9] The Abyssinian lovebird (Agapornis taranta) can talk if trained at an early age; however, they only rarely develop into competent talkers. [10]

Macaws can also be considered to be good talkers as well.

Many species of the genus Amazona are talkers, including the yellow-headed parrot (Amazona oratrix), yellow-crowned parrot (Amazona ochrocephala), yellow-naped parrot (Amazona auropalliata), blue-fronted parrot (Amazona aestiva), white-fronted parrot (Amazona albifrons), lilac-crowned amazon (Amazona finschi), orange-winged parrot (Amazona amazonica), Panama amazon (Amazona ochrocephala panamensis) and mealy parrot (Amazona farinosa).[9][11][12][13][14][15][16] They tend to relate sounds to relationships more than grey parrots, thereby outperforming grey parrots in more social environments. As pets, Amazon parrots can be affectionate, entertaining and highly interactive. They form strong bonds with their human caregivers and thrive on regular social interaction. However, they require dedicated care and attention due to their intelligence and need for mental stimulation. Providing a spacious environment, regular exercise, and socialization opportunities are important to their well-being.

It is worth noting that Amazon parrots are protected by international and national laws due to their vulnerability in the wild. In some areas, their populations have been significantly impacted by habitat loss and the illegal pet trade. Therefore, it is important to ensure that any Amazon parrot kept as a pet is obtained through legal and ethical means.[17]

The African grey parrots (Psittacus) are particularly noted for their advanced cognitive abilities and their ability to talk. There are two commonly kept species of which the Timneh parrot (Psittacus timneh) tends to learn to speak at a younger age than the Congo parrot (Psittacus erithacus).[9] Pet Congo greys may learn to speak within their first year, but many do not say their first word until 12–18 months old.[18] Timnehs are generally observed to start speaking earlier, some in their late first year.[19]

Australian galahs (Eolophus roseicapilla) can talk, although not as well as some other parrots. Male galahs are reportedly easier to teach than females.[20]

The yellow-crested cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea) is rated as a fair-to-good talker.[21][22]

The long-billed corella (Cacatua tenuirostris) is described as being able to talk "very clearly".[23]

The budgerigar, or common parakeet (Melopsittacus undulatus), is a popular talking-bird species because of their potential for large vocabularies, ease of care and well-socialized demeanor.[24] Between 1954 and 1962, a budgerigar named Sparkie Williams held the record for having the largest vocabulary of a talking bird; at his death, he knew 531 words and 383 sentences.[3] In 1995, a budgerigar named Puck was credited by Guinness World Records as having the largest vocabulary of any bird, at 1,728 words.[25]

The monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus), sometimes known as the quaker parakeet, is also a skilled talker.[9]

The Australian king parrot (Alisterus scapularis) can be trained to talk if it is hand-reared.[26]

The Indian ring-neck parakeet (Psittacula krameri manillensis), a subspecies of the rose-ringed parakeet, is an accomplished talker and popular pet which can develop a large vocabulary and talk clearly in sentences.[9]

The blossom-headed parakeet (Psittacula roseata) is rare and therefore not often kept as a pet, however, they are good talkers.[27]

The African ring-neck parakeet (Psittacula krameri krameri), another subspecies of the rose-ringed parakeet, can also talk, but some may never learn if not trained at an early age.[28]

The Derbyan parakeet (Psittacula derbianais) is an excellent talker. The clarity of their speech has been compared to that of amazon parrots although they may not learn extensive vocabularies.[29]

The slaty-headed parakeet (Psittacula himalayana) generally does not learn to talk.[30]

Hill mynahs (tropical members of the starling family of birds) are renowned for their ability to mimic the human voice. It has been claimed that the hill mynah is the best talking bird and the best mimic in the world.[31]

A Domestic or Atlantic canary (Serinus canaria forma domestica) named Pinchi, who lived in 1966 from 2–3 months of age with a resident of the city of Leningrad (USSR), learned to imitate the human speech of his owner-educator and weave it into his song. The bird began to repeat the tunes of its mistress's high voice "Pinchi, Briks – cute birds, weird little birds, these are these birds" after 4 months and in year and a half canary Pinchi completely formed his song from the words of human speech and the trills of birds. The singing of canary Pinchi, containing the words of human speech, was recorded on a tape recorder, and then published on a gramophone record in the record company Melodiya. In 1976, copies of this record were attached to the book by A. S. Malchevsky and co-authors "Birds in front of a microphone and a camera", and were also sold separately.[32][33][34][35]

Several members of the corvids or crow family, such as ravens, can mimic human speech. The best talking crows may be the ones found in captivity at zoos and wildlife centers.[36][37]

European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) are exceptional mimics, including human speech.[38] Their ability at mimicry is so great that strangers have looked in vain for the human they think they have just heard speak.[39]

The northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos), as both the common and taxonomic names suggest, are mimickers of a great number of sounds. This includes human speech.[40]

In Australia, lyrebirds are great mimics of many sounds, including the human voice. Lyrebirds have three syringeal muscles whereas most other songbirds have four. This could make the syrinx of the lyrebird more flexible.[6][41] In a study comparing the sonograms of lyrebirds and Australian magpies during mimicking, the author stated that the mimicry of the lyrebird was "impressionistic" while that of the magpie was "realistic".[6]

One hand-raised Australian magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen) developed the ability to mimic human speech, including words and phrases. This individual mimicked a large number of (non-human) sounds, but a third of all mimicked sounds were of human speech.[6] The author stated that mimicry by the magpie was far more accurate than that of the lyrebird.[6]

Biziura lobata, a musk duck native to Australia also mimics human speech.[42]

The tūī a bird of New Zealand that has been known to mimic human speech.

It has been suggested that (general) mimicry of non-bird related sounds is simply a mistaken attempt to copy species-specific calls.[6]

In the wild, flocks of parrots develop distinct local dialects. Research indicates they use these to distinguish familiar members of their flock from unfamiliar birds of other flocks. Birds respond more to vocalisations that are familiar to their own, and they ostracize individuals that vocalise in a different way. Birds raised in captivity might mimic humans, particularly their owners, to gain acceptance as a member of the family (flock). If they hear a word or phrase repeatedly, they might interpret that as a vocalisation distinct to their flock. They then attempt to make the vocalisation themselves to maintain their membership of that flock. If the parrot gets no response when it squawks a natural parrot vocalisation, but receives attention or food when it mimics human speech, it has an extra incentive to repeat human words and phrases.[43]

The territorial song of lyrebirds is relatively simple and substantially different from that of the sounds they mimic—including human speech.

One proposed function for (general) mimicry is that mimics have evolved to have a wide repertoire of vocalisations to increase their reproductive success. The male lyrebird, for example, adorns his song with many different mimicked sounds, often the songs of other nearby birds, but can include car horns, chainsaws and barking dogs.

General mimicry may help a bird prevent itself or its offspring from being preyed upon. For example, the Australian magpie mimics the call of the barking owl and the boobook owl, both predators of the magpie's young.

Some birds, such as the Australian magpie, mimic only those noises it hears whilst in its territory. It has been suggested that birds with complex social organisation may develop an auditory map of their territory, as well as visual, and that mimicking facilitates this process.[6]

Happy Hooligan attempting to rescue a talking parrot in a 1909 comic strip

• In The Mystery of the Stuttering Parrot by Robert Arthur Jr., the young protagonists look for a group of talking birds, each of whom gives a cryptic clue to the location of a valuable treasure.
• They are used to humorous effect in the Tintin books The Broken Ear, Red Rackham's Treasure and The Castafiore Emerald by Hergé.
• In Puck of Pook's Hill by Rudyard Kipling, a grey parrot lives aboard Witta's ship. "When first we entered there a loud voice cried, 'Out swords! Out swords! Kill, kill!' Seeing us start Witta laughed, and showed us it was but a great-beaked grey bird with a red tail. He sat her on his shoulder, and she called for bread and wine hoarsely, and prayed him to kiss her.'
• "Captain Flint", named for a notorious deceased pirate captain, is Long John Silver's talking parrot in Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island (1883). Her habitual refrain: "Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight!"
• Mercedes Lackey has at least 2 novels with significant roles for a talking Grey: The Wizard of London, and Grey's Ghost.
• Two LucasArts Adventure Games—Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis and Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge—feature talking parrots as a crucial means to solve certain puzzles. In the former, a parrot reveals the title of Plato's Lost Dialogue; In the latter, a parrot dispenses instructions on how to reach a fabled treasure.
• In Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, a parrot was cross-examined in a courtroom due to being trained to recall and speak details of a murder trial.
• In Super Mario Odyssey, a parrot named Talkatoo will give cryptic hints to the player about the location of power moons.

• In the narrative poem The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe the titular bird famously recites the word "Nevermore" throughout.
• Charles Dickens' historical novel Barnaby Rudge includes the character Grip, a prominently featured talking Raven that is modeled after two of Dickens' own pet ravens.[62]
• Talking ravens are a notable element in the series A Song of Ice and Fire by author George R. R. Martin. One in particular has the ability to say "Corn!" when hungry, but many say "Snow!" as well.
• The 2017 Doctor Who episode The Eaters of Light depicts talking crows in Scotland at the time of the Picts' wars against the Romans. It further suggests that the cawing of crows originated from their being trained by the Picts to say the name of Kar, a female warrior killed fighting the titular.

• A common hill myna provides important clues about the night of Laura Palmer's death in the television show Twin Peaks by David Lynch and Mark Frost.
• In the Perry Mason episode The Case of the Laughing Lady, a Bare-eyed myna plays a similar role.
• In the Fudge books by Judy Blume Fudge gets a myna bird he names Uncle Feather that features in some of the gags in the books. One of the gags is that Uncle Feather speaks the French language.