How Do Parrots Imitate Speech Patterns?

Parrots are able to imitate human speech, including words, tone and expression. To do this, parrots require complex physiological structures, completely different from humans, in addition to perfectly functioning hearing abilities. These birds have a syrinx, instead of a larynx, that allows them to produce sounds.

  1. Using the Syrinx

    • The syrinx is the equivalent of the human larynx. It is deep inside the parrot's body, where the voice box meets the bronchial tubes. It branches in two directions, each branch opening into a bronchus. Air from the lungs passes through the syrinx and all of the air is used to produce sound. One or both sides of the syrinx can produce sound, and in fact, it can produce two tones at the same frequency at the same time. The sound quality is affected by the neck muscles, length of the windpipe, structure of the beak and various movements. Overall, the complexity of the syrinx and the number of muscles affects the complexity of a parrot's sound.

    Tongue and Throat

    • Parrots have thick tongues, which allows them to imitate human speech. Tongue position also affects parrot vocalization. According to researchers at Indiana University, moving the tongue a fraction of a millimeter considerably changes the quality of emerging sound. Sound that radiates from the syrinx is produced in the throat and in the mouth, with use of the tongue. Even though parrots do not have lips or teeth, they can make sounds similar to those of humans.

    Sense of Hearing

    • Parrots require excellent hearing skills to communicate using sound. Birds hear differently than humans -- they always need to hear a sound in the same octave in order to recognize it. Parrots recognize timbre, or a basic note combined with harmonies, and can hear and reply to many sounds. They can also hear shorter notes than humans, and they are better at separating sounds that arrive in quick succession.

    Teaching a Parrot to Talk

    • Enthusiasm over phrases and words will encourage your pet parrot to learn. It is ideal to repeat words using the same action or at the same time of day. Rather than just talking to a parrot, have a conversation with him. Do not simply repeat words. The cage should be placed in a setting where the parrot will learn easily, such as a family room. Among the best talkers are the African Grey parrot, Amazon parrot, and the Blue and Gold Macaw.