Encouraging your bird to talk

One amazing thing about birds is their ability to mimic the sound they hear in their environment. Some mimic better than others, it changes from bird to bird. This is one technique I’ve found easiest to encourage their mimicking.


Just involve them and talk to them. Yes, it works.

I constantly talk to my birds when I’m home. It makes them truly feel like a part of the family and encourages them to be involved. They’re flock animals and want to be part of the flock, so they will repeat what the flock does.

And make sure you get excited when you’re bird attempts to mimic you. They love excitement. Stop whatever you’re doing and go over and give your feathered friend a huge amount of praise. Smile, giving them a visual sign they did something that’s encouraged. Then raise the tone of your voice a few octaves and lay on the “good boy/girls”, birds like high tones and take it as a good sign.

Repeat phrases often. Birds will repeat something they hear often. I taught on bird to say “what ya doin?”, I would go over to her play gym a few times a day and ask her “what ya doin?”. It did take long before she was repeating it. She also picked up “go night-night”, because it was a phrase I used every night before she was tucked in for bed.

I have a Pious that talks, but not clearly. She’ll make kissy noises. And she does say some things like what, pretty girl, good girl and a combination of them. But they are not loud and not very clear, you have to listen closely to make out what she’s saying (or be her momma, hehe). I’ve had her for over 6 years, and it’s just the way she communicates.

Don’t expect over night success. It takes time and encouragement to get a bird to repeat phrases, and some just won’t.

Training sessions with the goal to get a bird talking have limited success. I’ve found that natural interaction has better success. So make sure you watch what you say around your bird. I took in a Lorikeet whose favorite phrase was “what’s this sh**”. She’d say it often and loudly. Showing, if you say something often enough and with enough passion, your bird can/will pick it up.

As always, all comments and any questions are welcome.



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