Kinds of Talking Parrots

There are examples of talking birds in almost every parrot species, but some are far more proficient than others. Conures, for example, rarely learn to speak at all, and when they do they typically produce only a few garbled words. Similarly, no species is guaranteed to talk--individuals may learn dozens of words or none at all.

  1. African Greys

    • The African Grey is usually thought of as the most proficient speaker of all parrots. This bird is best known for using speech meaningfully; for example, requesting treats or arguing when it's time to return to the cage.

    Amazons

    • There are dozens of species of Amazon parrots, and all have the potential to speak clearly. These spunky green parrots are unusual in that many of them also learn to sing, albeit in a warbling, off-key voice.

    Macaws

    • Macaws don't usually develop an extensive vocabulary, but they do speak clearly and in a human-like pitch rather than the squeaky voice of smaller birds. Blue and gold macaws are considered especially likely to learn to talk.

    Pionus

    • Though less colorful than other parrots, members of the Pionus genus are gaining popularity as pets because of their gentle and calm demeanor. The blue-headed Pionus is said to be particularly adept at mimicking human speech.

    Budgerigars

    • Believe it or not, budgerigars (affectionately known as "budgies") are not only true parrots, but they occasionally learn to talk. Puck, a now-deceased budgerigar, is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the bird with the largest vocabulary--1,728 words.