Instructions
Raise a healthy baby African Grey parrot in a stimulating environment by providing toys and colorful objects.
Speak to the young parrot in a similar manner as talking to a human baby. Repeat the same words often, but use them within the context of a sentence so that the bird can begin to understand the association of the word.
Imitate sounds the bird already makes; then praise her for repeating the sound. This will reinforce the bird's mimicking behavior.
Respond to the parrot when he is trying to speak to encourage him to continue talking. Some signs that the bird is trying to speak may be murmurs or babbling.
Sing or whistle with the parrot, especially during the bird's daily routines such as feeding and showering. Pair these song games with word training. This will reinforce the bird's natural instinct to communicate with her flock.
Using exciting words around the bird that command human attention, such as profanity or phrases like "Oh boy," will be the most influential. African Greys will notice that certain sounds draw the attention of humans, which will induce them to make the same noise to get attention.
Hide from the bird in another room and talk. This action can motivate the bird to speak so that it can draw its owner's attention.
How to Get African Grey Parrots to Talk
African Grey parrots instinctively desire to communicate with their flock. Training an African Grey parrot to talk is accomplished by teaching the bird word associations, not by meaninglessly repeating words. These birds will mimic noises that draw attention; for example, an African Grey may imitate an alarm or phone. Reinforcing the bird's spoken words with enthusiasm is a great way to teach him to speak. .