When we hear the word “parrot,” an iconic image comes to mind: a large, colorful bird whose most distinguishing characteristic is its ability to mimic human speech. As much as you may want to find a bird with exceptional speech abilities, it is far more important to only adopt a bird whose traits are compatible with your personality and lifestyle. Read about these eight species to get an idea if one of these birds would be a fitting pet for your household.

Tips

With all bird species, the quality and quantity of their speaking abilities will vary between individual birds; some birds even choose not to talk at all. Adhering to a frequent training schedule and making sure to provide plenty of practice can go a long way toward helping a quieter bird find its voice.

Macaw

Macaws are known for their beautiful colors, bold personalities, and advanced capabilities for mimicking human speech. Macaws are able to learn many different words, and some even seem to be able to use them in context. Like some other types of large parrots, Macaws are quite skilled at learning short phrases; some even learn to sing snippets of songs.

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Species Overview

Length: 32 inches; half the total body length is in the tail feathers

Cockatoo

Hailing from the “Land Down Under,” the cockatoo is another large parrot species that have displayed speech abilities in captivity. While it has been reported to be difficult to train Cockatoos to talk, the bird may merely have a softer, sweeter speaking voice than other parrots.

Length: 18 inches

African Grey Parrot

Often regarded as the best communicators in the bird world, African Grey Parrots have not only displayed the ability to mimic up to 1,000 words, but some who have been studied are reported to also be able to associate those words with their meaning, effectively making it possible for them to communicate with their owners. Dr. Irene Pepperberg of The Alex Foundation has made great strides in studying the exciting communication and comprehension skills of these intelligent birds.

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Length: 13 inches

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Length: 13 to 15 inches

Length: 12 to 15 inches

Eclectus Parrot

You might think that the most interesting thing about Eclectus parrots is their beautiful coloring and the stark differences between males and females. And yet Eclectus Parrots have strong speech capabilities; most readily mimic their owners. Having a 30-year lifespan, these shorter-lived parrots are talking companions that may be at lower risk of outliving their owner.

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Length: 14 inches

Rose Ringed (Indian Ringneck) Parakeet

While the Indian Ringneck Parakeet is not an expert at being able to mimic the human voice, this bird uses its own bird voice to capture mood and sentiment. Individuals have been known to learn up to 250 words.

Length: 16 inches

Monk Parakeet (Quaker Parakeet)

The Monk Parakeet is actually a small parrot. It is well known for its ability to build a large vocabulary or words and phrases. The more you verbally explain what you are doing around the cage, the more this bird will pick up on the words for things and how to mimics those words.

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Length: 11 inches

Birds to Avoid

If you’re looking for a chatty bird, avoid species such as cockatiels and doves, which are known to be on the quiet side. But keep in mind that every individual bird is different. Although some species tend to be more quiet or chatty as a general rule, always assess the individual bird you want to bring home before committing; you might just be surprised at what they can do.

  • Pepperberg, Irene M. The Comparative Psychology of Intelligence: Some Thirty Years Later. Frontiers in psychology vol. 11 973. 19 May. 2020, doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00973