Instructions
Purchase a breed known for its talking ability. The most well-known talkers are African greys, Amazons, Quakers, macaws, budgies and Indian ringnecks.
Choose a bird that was hand-raised over one that was raised by his parents. Hand-raised birds are more likely to develop speech, according to Andrew U. Luescher's book "Manual of Parrot Behavior." Buy a bird from an experienced breeder. Breeders will be better apt to predict a baby bird's future personality.
Spend time watching the parrots. A bird that spends time a lot of time vocalizing will be more likely to want to mimic sounds around him. To identify which one this is, you need to watch the bird long enough. Sometimes the best talkers are tired and might seem like the quietest of the bunch.
Look for a bird that is curious and interested in the world around it. This interest can take different forms. The bird may lean forward, stretch its wings, shake its head or wag its head from side to side. A bird interested in the world around it is more likely to want to interact with it by talking.
Watch a bird's eyes for "pinpointing" or "flashing" when you talk to it. Pinpointing is when the pupil of the eye contracts or narrows. It is a way birds show interest in something.
Look for a bird that is good at producing different whistles and bird chatter. Parrots don't have voice boxes. They make words by whistling syllables. Birds need good control over the muscles in their trachea in order to talk. A bird with poor trachea control won't make a wide variety of sounds.
Adopt a bird that has already begun to talk. A number of rescue parrot organizations are looking for good homes for parrots that were abandoned or neglected. Humane societies, animal shelters and veterinarians may also know of birds available for adoption.
How to Identify a Talking Bird
Identifying which birds have the ability to talk and which ones don't is a crap shoot. The only way to guarantee that your bird will learn to talk is to find one that is already talking. Certain behaviors can predict which birds are likely to talk, but it's not an exact science.