A Mentor for Your Feathered Friend: How to Teach a Parrot to Talk

Sometimes you just want simple heartfelt communication with a parrot. These birds are capable of not only memorizing a few phrases but also to some extent maintaining a conversation by inserting the right words at the appropriate moment. For your feathered pet to talk, you first need to earn its trust, and then show patience and attention. In this article, we offer you a guide on teaching a parrot to speak.

First of all, avoid using recordings to make things easier for yourself. For the parrot, it will simply be background noise that it cannot remember. Your pet should perceive you as a friend whose behavior it will want to imitate and find interesting. Here are some recommendations:

Choose the right time for lessons when your feathered friend is full, alert, and focused on you, rather than distracted by the surroundings.

Hold the bird on your hand or stay close to the cage — personal contact and your interest are important.

Teach phrases that you use in everyday life so that the parrot hears them not only during lessons but also understands when they are used and can insert them at the right moment.

Repeat one phrase 15-20 times before moving on to the next. It’s better to alternate between two phrases, as one of them may not appeal to the parrot, and it may not want to memorize it.

The optimal duration of one lesson is 5-10 minutes. If you notice that the bird is distracted, not listening to you, or leaving, it’s better to end the lesson.

The Key to Success is Emotion

If you monotonously repeat the same phrase in the hope that the parrot will eventually repeat it, unfortunately, this will not work — the bird will lose interest in you. Birds love emotional speech, so sometimes it is enough to say a word with feeling just once to soon hear it from the parrot.

Maintain a good mood, do not raise your voice, and do not scold the bird if you do not see results. On the contrary, speak gently and praise your pet, especially if you notice that it is listening to you or trying to say something. You can offer a favorite treat when you see your feathered friend making an effort.

Do not expect instant results. If you practice patiently and regularly, sooner or later the parrot will be able to pronounce a whole set of phrases, even if it had been silent and not trying to speak before. Much depends on the individual characteristics of the pet. The most trainable species include macaws, African greys, cockatoos, budgerigars, amazons, and ring-necked parrots.