How Long Does it Take for an African Gray to Talk?

In the bird world, African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) are renowned for their strong speaking skills. Many of these clever creatures are not only widely adored for their abilities to converse, but also for their abilities to closely replicate random household noises, from doorbells to clothing irons and beyond.

  1. African Grey Background

    • African grey parrots' origins lie in Africa, in specific nations including Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Angola, Kenya and Uganda. Damp and thick forests are habitat preferences for African greys. Some typical settings for these birds are grassy plains, outskirts of forests and agricultural sites. As pet birds, they thrive in spacious enclosures that are equipped with lots of toys and stimulating puzzles. The species' cognitive comprehension is believed to be relatively elaborate.

    Not All African Greys Talk

    • Although a lot of African grey parrots do indeed develop strong grasps on talking, not all of them do. Because of this, it's important to avoid bringing one of these guys into your life expecting him to inevitably talk. Realistically speaking, some African grey parrots go through their entire lives without ever saying a peep. Get an African grey parrot because you love the bird himself -- not because you love the notion of talking in the future. If you do bring an African grey into your home and he starts talking like a champ, view it as an extra bonus. Remember, it can't hurt to take an active approach and train your pet in talking. Note that the talking skills for both sexes are similar.

    Age for Talking

    • If an African grey parrot is indeed going to begin to talk, it's not possible to pinpoint the exact time, whether a specific day or week in his life. After all, they all are their own birds. Despite that, they typically begin chatting when they're somewhere between 1 and 1 1/2 years in age. However, some especially early blooming African grey parrots have even begun using words at merely 6 months old.

    Dress Rehearsal

    • If you already have one of these mid-sized parrots, he might already be rehearsing his speech skills -- solo. Many African greys recite words -- in babbling style -- when no one is around to hear. In these situations, owners are often absolutely flabbergasted when their birds, seemingly out of nowhere, begin enunciating words clearly. African greys often have talents for fooling people with their highly human-like vocalizations.

    In the Wild

    • African grey parrots in the wild don't have people or household noises around to copy. They do, however, have the presence of other types of birds. One of their big pastimes entails copying fellow birds' signature calling sounds.