Certain birds, primarily parrots, have the remarkable ability to mimic human speech, replicating words and phrases with impressive accuracy. For instance, Alex, an African Grey Parrot, could say about 100 words and astonished scientists with his ability to use them appropriately in context. Similarly, another Grey Parrot named N’kisi held the world record with a vocabulary of 950 words. Regardless of their level of understanding, these birds’ abilities make them fun and engaging pets.
List of the Best Talking Pet Birds
| Name | Vocabulary | Vocal Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Big Talking Birds | ||
African Grey Parrot | 100-500 words | Mimics exceptionally well, with some even using words in context |
| Macaws | 20-50 words | Mimic phrases and songs rather than single words |
| Medium Talking Birds | ||
| Rose-ringed Parakeet | 100-130 words | Learns to speak phrases and sentences |
| Eclectus Parrots | 100-120 words | Speak with clear, distinguishable voices, though they need training from a young age to do so |
| Amazon Parrots | 100-120 words | Speak well, often with clear pronunciation |
| Mynahs | 50-100 words | Mimic human speech and environmental sounds |
| Derbyan Parakeet | 20-50 words | Learns words but less capable of speech than some other parrots |
| Cockatiel | 10-30 words | Learns a few words and simple phrases but mostly mimics sounds |
| Small Talking Birds | ||
| Budgerigar | 120-150 words | Mimics words well despite their voices sounding garbled at times |
| Quaker Parrot | 50-100 words | Learns a fair number of phrases as well as words |
More Birds That Can Talk
Some birds have been observed replicating human speech on rare occasions. Though they are not usually kept as pets, most such recorded talking behavior has been found in birds kept in some form of captivity.
- Musk Ducks
- Lyrebirds
- Tūīs
- Australian Magpies
- Crows
- Ravens
- Northern Mockingbirds
- Common Starlings
- Domestic Canaries
How Do These Birds Learn to Talk
All birds vocalize from a young age by watching other birds or their owners. There are limits to what they can do due to their lack of lips, but with the help of their tongue and throat muscles, some can mimic a wide range of sounds. Only a few birds, like parrots and mynas, are capable of learning new sounds like human speech, which indicates that intelligence and social activity are also required.
