Will a Sun Conure Ever Talk?

Sun conures are members of the parrot family who originate from South America. They're intelligent and social birds who make great pets and companions. Their average life expectancy is roughly 25 years, so you'll have a long-term pal. Although some of these birds can say some basic words and phrases, they're not the best talkers in the parrot world.

  1. Talking

    • Don't expect too much from your sun conure when it comes to talking. If she learns any words at all, they will probably be short ones. These birds have squeaky voices, so they may also be quite hard to understand. However, exceptions do exist: some members of this species are enthusiastic talkers who can manage longer phrases with ease. It all depends on the individual bird, so don't be disappointed if yours doesn't say all that much.

    Mimicking Sounds

    • Although many sun conures will never speak clearly, they do like to mimic sounds. These will usually be day-to-day noises that they hear around the house or through the window, such as microwave beeps, human laughter, car alarms and sounds from the television.

    Other Vocalizations

    • Your sun conure might not speak any human words, but he certainly will speak in parrot language to you. These birds are surprisingly loud and vocal for their size, so they might not make the ideal pet if you're looking for a quiet bird or if you live in close proximity to your neighbors. Expect to hear plenty of squawks and screeches, as this is just how parrots communicate. However, they'll normally restrict their speechifying to 10 minutes to an hour in the morning and evening. If your conure makes lots of noise all day, he might not be receiving adequate stimulation and attention.

    Which Sun Conures Talk?

    • While any sun conure has the ability to talk, not all of them will pick it up. It's impossible to tell which birds will take to talking and which won't. However, you might have more luck if you start attempting to teach your conure to talk while he's young. Males may also have more of a propensity to talk than females, as they're naturally more vocal.