teaches other birds how to talk to people. Dr. Pepperberg says that he rarely makes mistakes as a teacher and that the other birds actually learn faster from Alex than from human teachers!
Alexâs language remains very simple. He cannot talk to his human friends the same way that people talk to each other. He can not talk about how he feels or what he did yesterday. He cannot speak in sentences the way the parrot does in the fictional movie Paulie . Still, research like Dr. Pepperbergâs does seem to tell us that parrots are far more intelligent than we ever imagined.
HOW TO TEACH A PARROT TO TALK
Not all parrots can become big talkers like Alex. But with hard work and lots of patience, you can teach almost any parrot to say at least a few words. The chattiest parrots are African Greys, Amazons, and Macaws. Males usually talk more than females.
Here are some tips for teaching a parrot to talk:
Look whoâs talking. When choosing a new bird, ask yourself these questions:
⢠Does he seem interested in people?
⢠Does he look at you and listen when you speak?
⢠Does he already squawk and vocalize a lot?
A happy bird with an outgoing personality will be easier to teach.
Start early. The best time to begin is when the bird is six to twelve months old. A young, hand raised bird is easier to teach than an older bird, although older birds can still be taught.
One on one. Birds are very social animals, and if you have another bird, the two birds might spend most of their time talking to each other in their own language. But if itâs just you and one bird, your pet will be eager to socialize with you.
Be quiet. Turn off the TV and radio. Work in a quiet room without a lot of traffic or distractions.
Take it easy. Start with a simple one- or two-syllable word, such as hello . Say the word slowly, over and over, with a few seconds in between.
Short and sweet. A bird has a short atten tion span, so keep each training session briefâabout 15 minutes. Two lessons a day are best. Early mornings and afternoons are good times to practice, because thatâs when birds are naturally most talkative.
Do it yourself. Some people use recordings of their voice to train their birds. But many bird enthusiasts donât recommend using this method. The bird may become so bored hearing the tape over and over that he begins to ignore it. Or he may learn to repeat the word, but he wonât necessarily connect the activity of talking to people. Your goal is to teach your pet to talk and interact with you and other people.
Face to face. Stand right in front of your parrot. Make eye contact, and talk to your pet, not just at it. Speak clearlyâyour bird will learn to say the word exactly as you pronounce it!
Reward often. Have your birdâs favorite treat handy, and reward him for even the smallest effort to say the new word. Donât worry if your bird mumbles or babbles in the beginningâthatâs a normal part of the learning-to talk process. Once he learns to say his first word clearly, each new word will be easier to learn.
Have patience. It could take your bird as little as a week to learn his first wordâor as long as two months or more! Each bird is an individual and will learn at his own pace.
Keep talking. Even when youâre not having a lesson, chat with your bird when youâre feeding him or cleaning his cage. Say hello when you come into the room. Praise him often and make him feel as if heâs part of the daily life of the household. Your bird will be happier, and youâll reinforce the idea that talking is a positive aspect of your relationship.
W hen Maggieâs veterinarian grandmother has an emergency, itâs up to five animal-loving kids to become vet volunteers and save a group of sick puppies.
C at lover Sunita longs for a kitten of her own, and finds herself caught between a group of angry neighbors and a colony of feral cats.
D avid must
Alexâs language remains very simple. He cannot talk to his human friends the same way that people talk to each other. He can not talk about how he feels or what he did yesterday. He cannot speak in sentences the way the parrot does in the fictional movie Paulie . Still, research like Dr. Pepperbergâs does seem to tell us that parrots are far more intelligent than we ever imagined.
HOW TO TEACH A PARROT TO TALK
Not all parrots can become big talkers like Alex. But with hard work and lots of patience, you can teach almost any parrot to say at least a few words. The chattiest parrots are African Greys, Amazons, and Macaws. Males usually talk more than females.
Here are some tips for teaching a parrot to talk:
Look whoâs talking. When choosing a new bird, ask yourself these questions:
⢠Does he seem interested in people?
⢠Does he look at you and listen when you speak?
⢠Does he already squawk and vocalize a lot?
A happy bird with an outgoing personality will be easier to teach.
Start early. The best time to begin is when the bird is six to twelve months old. A young, hand raised bird is easier to teach than an older bird, although older birds can still be taught.
One on one. Birds are very social animals, and if you have another bird, the two birds might spend most of their time talking to each other in their own language. But if itâs just you and one bird, your pet will be eager to socialize with you.
Be quiet. Turn off the TV and radio. Work in a quiet room without a lot of traffic or distractions.
Take it easy. Start with a simple one- or two-syllable word, such as hello . Say the word slowly, over and over, with a few seconds in between.
Short and sweet. A bird has a short atten tion span, so keep each training session briefâabout 15 minutes. Two lessons a day are best. Early mornings and afternoons are good times to practice, because thatâs when birds are naturally most talkative.
Do it yourself. Some people use recordings of their voice to train their birds. But many bird enthusiasts donât recommend using this method. The bird may become so bored hearing the tape over and over that he begins to ignore it. Or he may learn to repeat the word, but he wonât necessarily connect the activity of talking to people. Your goal is to teach your pet to talk and interact with you and other people.
Face to face. Stand right in front of your parrot. Make eye contact, and talk to your pet, not just at it. Speak clearlyâyour bird will learn to say the word exactly as you pronounce it!
Reward often. Have your birdâs favorite treat handy, and reward him for even the smallest effort to say the new word. Donât worry if your bird mumbles or babbles in the beginningâthatâs a normal part of the learning-to talk process. Once he learns to say his first word clearly, each new word will be easier to learn.
Have patience. It could take your bird as little as a week to learn his first wordâor as long as two months or more! Each bird is an individual and will learn at his own pace.
Keep talking. Even when youâre not having a lesson, chat with your bird when youâre feeding him or cleaning his cage. Say hello when you come into the room. Praise him often and make him feel as if heâs part of the daily life of the household. Your bird will be happier, and youâll reinforce the idea that talking is a positive aspect of your relationship.
W hen Maggieâs veterinarian grandmother has an emergency, itâs up to five animal-loving kids to become vet volunteers and save a group of sick puppies.
C at lover Sunita longs for a kitten of her own, and finds herself caught between a group of angry neighbors and a colony of feral cats.
D avid must
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