Birds That Whistle

Birds communicate by producing many diverse sounds. Their songs can be used as mating calls, warnings against danger, a method to protect territory, or an indication of a food source. Several bird species possess the oral dexterity to whistle. Whistling is not a natural form of communication for most birds and is often learned from humans. A whistling pet can be both pleasant and entertaining, and many people may wonder if a specific pet bird can learn this skill.

  1. Cockatiel

    • Cockatiels can produce a loud and smooth whistling sound. Pet cockatiels that have learned to whistle from their owners often use their whistling skills to show off and entertain. If a cockatiel hears a wolf whistle frequently enough, it can often reproduce this sound. They can also imitate whistled tunes. If a cockatiel has an owner that likes to whistle "The Star Spangled Banner," the bird is likely to begin whistling this tune after hearing it repeated for many weeks. All cockatiels can whistle, but males are often stronger whistlers than females. Breeders from the North Texas Cockatiel Club believe that cockatiels are the most skilled whistlers of all birds.

    Parrot

    • Most parrots can be taught to whistle. Even parrots that don't possess the vocal dexterity to talk can often learn the relatively simple skill of whistling. Parrots can learn to wolf whistle, and they can also learn melodies if the whistled song is repeated frequently by the owner. If you really want your parrot to learn to whistle, you can record yourself whistling a song and let the recording play periodically. Your parrot should begin to imitate the song. Many people who expect these birds to be able to talk may be set up for disappointment if their pet cannot imitate the human voice but are often satisfied when they hear their parrot begin to whistle.

    Parakeet

    • Parakeets are small birds that are popular pets. They are part of the parrot family and have similar vocal and oral dexterity allowing them to whistle. Parakeets use whistling to express contentment. They also use whistle patterns learned from humans to communicate with other parakeets. If you own more than one parakeet, you may observe these birds whistling songs to one another. Just like other whistling birds, train a parakeet to whistle a specific tune by repeating it often. Once your parakeet has learned a song, it may even whistle along with you.

    Canary

    • Canaries are small birds belonging to the finch family. These birds are popular as pets. Their natural form of communication resembles a twittering whistle that many people find pleasant and is often an incentive for canary ownership. Unlike parrots, cockatiels and parakeets, canaries cannot learn to mimic human whistling but produce a whistling sound as their natural communication method. Only male canaries whistle, however, so if you're seeking a whistling canary ask the breeder or pet store owner to help you choose a male bird.