Talking bird
Encyclopedia
Talking birds are bird
s that can mimic human
speech
. Talking birds have varying degrees of intelligence and communication capabilities: some, like the crow
, a highly intelligent bird
, are only able to mimic a few words and phrases, whilst some budgerigar
s have been observed to have a vocabulary of almost two thousand words. The Hill Myna
is a commonly kept pet, well known for its talking ability – whilst its relative, the European Starling
, is also adept at mimicry.. Wild cockatoos in Australia have been reported to have learned human speech from ex-captive birds that have integrated into the flock.
named Puck was credited by Guinness World Records
as having the largest vocabulary
of any bird, at 1,728 words.
s are particularly noted for their cognitive
abilities. Some of the most notable African Grey Parrots are Alex
, Prudle, N'kisi and a new rising star, Einstein.
had a vocabulary of about 100 words, but he was one of the most famous birds because of his cognitive abilities. In 2005, World Science reported that Alex understood the concept of zero. Alex died on September 6, 2007.
is noted for his impressive English
usage skills and other abilities. As of January 2004, he had a documented vocabulary of 950 words and shows signs of a sense of humor. N'kisi is believed to be one of the most advanced users of human language in the animal world.
for copying one liners from the sitcom Still Game
in a broad Scottish accent.
s are renowned for their ability to mimic the human voice. Many have claimed that the Hill Myna is the best talking bird and the best mimic in the world.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s that can mimic human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
speech
Speech
Speech is the human faculty of speaking.It may also refer to:* Public speaking, the process of speaking to a group of people* Manner of articulation, how the body parts involved in making speech are manipulated...
. Talking birds have varying degrees of intelligence and communication capabilities: some, like the crow
Crow
Crows form the genus Corvus in the family Corvidae. Ranging in size from the relatively small pigeon-size jackdaws to the Common Raven of the Holarctic region and Thick-billed Raven of the highlands of Ethiopia, the 40 or so members of this genus occur on all temperate continents and several...
, a highly intelligent bird
Bird intelligence
Bird intelligence deals with the definition of intelligence and its measurement as it applies to birds. Traditionally, birds have been considered inferior in intelligence to mammals, and derogatory terms such as bird brains have been used colloquially in some cultures. Such perceptions are no...
, are only able to mimic a few words and phrases, whilst some budgerigar
Budgerigar
The Budgerigar , also known as Common Pet Parakeet or Shell Parakeet informally nicknamed the budgie, is a small, long-tailed, seed-eating parrot, and the only species in the Australian genus Melopsittacus...
s have been observed to have a vocabulary of almost two thousand words. The Hill Myna
Hill Myna
The Common Hill Myna , sometimes spelled "mynah" and formerly simply known as "Hill Myna", is the myna bird most commonly seen in aviculture, where it is often simply referred to by the latter two names. It is a member of the starling family , resident in hill regions of South Asia and Southeast Asia...
is a commonly kept pet, well known for its talking ability – whilst its relative, the European Starling
European Starling
The Common Starling , also known as the European Starling or just Starling, is a passerine bird in the family Sturnidae.This species of starling is native to most of temperate Europe and western Asia...
, is also adept at mimicry.. Wild cockatoos in Australia have been reported to have learned human speech from ex-captive birds that have integrated into the flock.
Puck
In 1995 a budgerigarBudgerigar
The Budgerigar , also known as Common Pet Parakeet or Shell Parakeet informally nicknamed the budgie, is a small, long-tailed, seed-eating parrot, and the only species in the Australian genus Melopsittacus...
named Puck was credited by Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
as having the largest vocabulary
Vocabulary
A person's vocabulary is the set of words within a language that are familiar to that person. A vocabulary usually develops with age, and serves as a useful and fundamental tool for communication and acquiring knowledge...
of any bird, at 1,728 words.
African Grey Parrots
The African Grey ParrotAfrican Grey Parrot
The African Grey Parrot , also known as the Grey Parrot, is a medium-sized parrot found in the primary and secondary rainforest of West and Central Africa. Experts regard it as one of the most intelligent birds. They feed primarily on palm nuts, seeds, fruits, leafy matter, but have been observed...
s are particularly noted for their cognitive
Animal cognition
Animal cognition is the title given to the study of the mental capacities of non-human animals. It has developed out of comparative psychology, but has also been strongly influenced by the approach of ethology, behavioral ecology, and evolutionary psychology...
abilities. Some of the most notable African Grey Parrots are Alex
Alex (parrot)
Alex was an African Grey Parrot and the subject of a thirty-year experiment by animal psychologist Irene Pepperberg, initially at the University of Arizona and later at Harvard University and Brandeis University. Pepperberg bought Alex in a regular pet shop when he was about one year old...
, Prudle, N'kisi and a new rising star, Einstein.
Alex
AlexAlex (parrot)
Alex was an African Grey Parrot and the subject of a thirty-year experiment by animal psychologist Irene Pepperberg, initially at the University of Arizona and later at Harvard University and Brandeis University. Pepperberg bought Alex in a regular pet shop when he was about one year old...
had a vocabulary of about 100 words, but he was one of the most famous birds because of his cognitive abilities. In 2005, World Science reported that Alex understood the concept of zero. Alex died on September 6, 2007.
Prudle
Prudle held the Guinness world record for bird with biggest vocabulary for many years with a documented vocabulary of 800 words.N'kisi
N'kisiN'kisi
N'kisi is an African Grey Parrot who is thought to exhibit advanced English usage skills and other abilities.-Accomplishments:According to news reports and websites, as of January 2004 N'kisi had a vocabulary of about 950 words and used them in context, frequently in complete sentences, had...
is noted for his impressive English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
usage skills and other abilities. As of January 2004, he had a documented vocabulary of 950 words and shows signs of a sense of humor. N'kisi is believed to be one of the most advanced users of human language in the animal world.
Einstein
Einstein appeared on many television shows and became famous for her ability to recreate sounds as well as voice. Video clips show her making the sound of a laser beam and an evil laugh. She has been trained by Stephanie White.Sparky
African Grey Sparky is popular on YouTubeYouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
for copying one liners from the sitcom Still Game
Still Game
Still Game is a Scottish sitcom, produced by The Comedy Unit with the BBC. It was created by Ford Kiernan and Greg Hemphill, who play the lead characters - two Glaswegian pensioners, named Jack Jarvis and Victor McDade respectively....
in a broad Scottish accent.
Bibi
Bibi, a Congo African Grey Parrot, is best known for her ability to use greetings from 20 different languages, earning her the nickname "The Polyglot Parrot." At only three years of age, Bibi has already developed a vocabulary of about 300 words, and she understands the concepts of color and shape.Amazon parrots
Many species of Amazona (particularly the yellow-head variety) are outstanding talkers. Yellow-napes, Double Yellow-headed, Yellow-crowned, and Panama Amazons are highly regarded as talking parrots.Other parrots
Most parrot species are capable of imitating human words. Many can learn to use phrases in context; they can also be trained to imitate any words. Monk Parakeets (also known as Quaker parrots) are also reputed to be skilled talkers.Hill Mynas
Hill MynaHill Myna
The Common Hill Myna , sometimes spelled "mynah" and formerly simply known as "Hill Myna", is the myna bird most commonly seen in aviculture, where it is often simply referred to by the latter two names. It is a member of the starling family , resident in hill regions of South Asia and Southeast Asia...
s are renowned for their ability to mimic the human voice. Many have claimed that the Hill Myna is the best talking bird and the best mimic in the world.
See also
- LyrebirdLyrebirdA Lyrebird is either of two species of ground-dwelling Australian birds, that form the genus, Menura, and the family Menuridae. They are most notable for their superb ability to mimic natural and artificial sounds from their environment. Lyrebirds have unique plumes of neutral coloured...
, ability to mimic natural and artificial sounds from their environment - MockingbirdNorthern MockingbirdThe Northern Mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos, is the only mockingbird commonly found in North America. This species was first described by Linnaeus in his Systema naturae in 1758 as Turdus polyglottos....
, ability to mimic natural and artificial sounds from their environment - PasserinePasserineA passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly...
- SongbirdSongbirdA songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of the perching birds . Another name that is sometimes seen as scientific or vernacular name is Oscines, from Latin oscen, "a songbird"...
Further reading
- Smith, Fran; Friendly Feathers: Life with Pierre, an African Grey Parrot ISBN 978-0-615-22232-5
External links
- Recordings of an African Grey parrot talking