By Erik J. Martin for WebVet
Teaching your bird to talk. Eager to impart the gift of gab unto a fine-feathered friend but not sure how? Word is that teaching a speech-conducive bird breed to talk can be challenging, but not impossible -- so long as you speak the beak's language and remain patiently persistent, say the experts.
Birds that talk the talk
According to Dr. Greg Harrison, DVM, of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, many bird species -- including myna birds, Amazon parrots, cockatiels, macaws and budgerigar parakeets -- can learn to talk, depending on your definition of "talking.''
"Technically, there are birds that use human words to 'talk,''' Harrison said. "Often, this is mimicking, which is merely repeating a sound, and it is assumed the meaning is not understood by the bird. Given this, birds often use repeated mimicking to get attention or rewards, so it becomes a form of communication. And often, humans are not aware that the bird has its own meaning for mimicking.''
Harrison said, however, that some scientific studies have demonstrated that birds have cognition, "which means they have learned the meaning of their sound and use it appropriately. The famous African grey parrot, Alex, for example, was able to count items and identify them by shape and color.''
Dr. Kristen L. Nelson, DVM, Veterinary Creative, Scottsdale, Ariz., said that in her experience, African grey parrots are the best talkers, followed by double y...
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