Only one species can be trained to communicate and speak the same language as men of all creatures on Earth. This is one of the most attractive and endearing qualities birds have. Birds are also a great pet to have; they can be trained easily, have a long lifespan, and are great companions.
Some of the most popular talking birds are the African Gray Parrots, Parakeets or Budgies, Quaker Parrots, Amazon Parrots, Eclectus Parrots, Indian Ringneck Parakeets, Cockatoo, and the Severe Macaw. Parrots lack vocal chords, and instead of a larynx, they have a syrinx.
Having a talking companion is a good thing; parrots have the edge over other pets like dogs and cats. They can communicate with their owner and respond to simple commands.
What Kind Of Bird Can Talk?
Many people are unaware that there are two different bird breeds that can learn to mimic human speech. Parrots are the most popular talking birds globally, but the second breed is known as songbirds. However, a new breed has been discovered that can learn to mimic and create human speech, the Mynah bird.
Parrots
Parrots are found in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world, and they are classified into three categories; New Zealand Parrots (Strigopoidea), Cockatoos (Cacatuoidea), and True Parrots (Psittacoidea). Parrots are constantly threatened by extinction, about one-third of the species.
The features of a parrot include an upright stance, a strong curved beak, strong legs, and clawed feet. Almost all parrots are colored; however, most of them are multi-colored. Parrots are among the most intelligent bird breeds globally and crows, ravens, magpies, and jays.
Not all parrot species can be trained to talk and imitate human speech; species that can imitate human speech are Amazon Parrots, Eclectus Parrot, Cockatoos, Gray Parrots, and Parakeets, amongst others. Parrots tend to display wild instincts when kept as pets, like chewing and screaming.
However, parrots can be very cute and affectionate when young, but they display wild behaviors and become aggressive as they grow older. However, an adult parrot will turn out fine with proper training and handling.
Songbirds
Songbirds belong to the group of Passeriformes or perching birds. This group contains about 5000 bird species and is found everywhere globally. Songbirds produce songs for two major reasons: securing their territory and making sexual advances. They have highly developed vocal chords, but not all the breeds use to melodiously,
Songbirds vary in size, from tiny sunbirds and kinglets to large crows. These breeds are land birds, but they can live in any region, from forests to open grassland. Songbirds are distinguished from other perching birds by their anatomical features, syrinx, or complicated vocal chords.
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Most Popular Talking Birds
We know that parrots are the most popular talking birds, but we will look at the breeds that can imitate human speech. Below is a list of some of the most popular talking birds globally.
African Gray Parrots
The African Gray Parrot is the most popular talking bird on the planet; it is the most popular bird used as a pet because of its advanced intelligence. African Gray Parrots can develop a wide vocabulary, pick up words easily, speak with great clarity, and are great talkative. African Gray Parrots are about 13 inches long and weigh 15 to 18 ounces.
African Gray Parrots are also known as Gray Parrots, Congo African Gray Parrots, or Congo Gray Parrots. They are medium-sized birds with a predominantly Gray color and a black bill. The wingspan of the Gray Parrot is about 18 to 20.5 inches in length. The gray color on the wings and head of the Gray Parrot is darker than its other body parts.
The African Gray Parrot is native to equatorial Africa, including Cameroon, Angola, Gabon, Congo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Uganda, and Kenya. African Gray Parrots have a frugivorous diet, consisting mainly of nuts, fruits, and seeds. They like oil palm fruit and will eat tree bark, flowers, snails, and insects.
The African Gray Parrot is a monogamous breeder that lives in tree cavities, each pair of parrots having their tree to build their nest in. The hen lays about 3 to 5 eggs that would be incubated for 30 days while the cock searches for food and defends the nest. The chicks require constant feeding for about 4 to 5 weeks before being fledged.
Parakeets
These are also popular talking birds, and they have been known to speak better and more clearly than other larger parrot species. Some Parakeets can develop vocabularies consisting of hundreds of words. They have gruff voices, so it can be difficult to hear what they are saying most of the time.
Parakeets are among the small and medium-sized parrot species. They consist of about 115 species of seed-eating birds; they have a slender build with long tapering tails. Parakeets are also known as budgies and breed in groups, and conflicts are bound to arise among the pairs, especially if there is limited breeding space.
Budgies have a short lifespan of about 8 to 12 years; they have fragile health and can get sick when slight temperature variation. They are also susceptible to liver problems and tumors. To avoid budgies from falling sick, you need to ensure the birds exercise regularly.
Parakeets are playful birds; they are smart but are not as intelligent as other larger parrot species. They are about 7 inches in length and weigh 1 ounce. You can identify parakeets by their light green bodies with yellow heads and black wing markings. They also come in various colors, including gray, blue, white, green, yellow, violet, and blue.
Quaker Parrots
Quaker Parrots are also called Monk Parakeets; they are excellent talkers and have great personalities. They are one of the few talking birds that can develop a large vocabulary. They are about 11 inches long and weigh 4 to 5 ounces. The average lifespan of a quaker parrot is 20 to 30 years.
Their most prominent and identifying features are their white, blue, or green body, gray cheeks, breast, throat, and orange beaks. They can be found in the subtropical regions of Argentina and the countries around South America. However, they can also be found in some European and North American areas.
The Quaker Parrot is the only parrot known to build a stick nest, in a man-made structure or tree, instead of using a hole in the tree. They are colonial breeders; they build a single large nest with various entrances for each pair in the colony. They lay about 5 to 12 eggs that hatch in 24 days.
Quaker Parrots are social, intelligent birds; you can teach a quaker parrot various words and phrases, and it will use them correctly and in the right context. They have an early speaking ability, which makes them the favorite and easiest bird to teach how to talk.
How Much Does It Cost For A Talking Bird?
The cost of a talking bird depends on the species you decide to buy; however, when purchasing a talking bird, you should also consider the amount of money you would likely spend during the bird’s lifetime, especially if you buy one that has a long lifespan.
There are different prices for talking birds, depending on where you purchase them. If you adopt a talking bird, you should have about $20 to $1000. If you buy from a breeder, you should budget about $20 to $4000. Budgie costs around $15 to $100, Monk Parakeet, $450 to $700, African Gray, $800 to $3600, Eclectus, $1500.
Final Thoughts
Having a talking bird as a pet is a good way to break from the generic pets (dogs and cats). They are fun companions, easy to train, and great talking partners; it is almost impossible to regret having a talking bird as a pet. As long as you put effort into training and grooming them, there should be no problem.
Shawn Manaher is a serial entrepreneur but when he isn’t working, he loves dogs. He’s owned different pets over the years, and always gives a part of his heart to each pet.
