Teaching your bird to talk can be fun, even if it can only say a single word. All you need is a little dedication, focus, and time!
Learn about your bird. Not all birds can or will talk, so the first thing you should do is find out more about your bird. There isn’t much point trying to teach a bird to talk if it’s just going to whistle back at you. Some of the bird species that can learn to speak include:[1]
- Budgerigar
- Monk Parakeet
- Amazonian Parrots
- Indian Ringneck
- Quaker Parrot
- Eclectus
- Hill Myna
- African Grey
- Cockatiel
- Cockatoo
- Blue Gold Macaw
Build a relationship with your bird. Birds that are capable of speech are social animals. It is very important to develop a relationship by speaking to them often, so that it trusts you and grows accustomed to your voice. It is recommended to spend as much time as possible with the bird the first few months, speaking to it in gentle tones.[2]
Make sure to play with your bird often, every day. These birds in the wild have many interactions each day, and they engage with lots of stimuli. Evolved for group life, these birds like to be well-socialized. Spending lots of time with your bird will help ensure you foster a good relationship.
Plan your routine. Like training any animal, talking birds need short, frequent and regular training sessions. Make sure you build a plan such that you are able to give your bird the time and attention it needs in order to maximize its learning potential.
Make a schedule.
Limit training sessions to five minutes, two to five times a day.
Plan to work with your bird many times a day.
Make sure your bird has fun. Just like a child, birds benefit when learning from a sense of fun. By giving rewards, such as treats, and engaging with your bird in an excited way, it encourages the bird to enjoy this new language game.
Rewards should be given immediately after the desire behavior is performed. This helps the bird know it is doing something correct.
Avoid rewarding the bird when it is not talking. This will strengthen its desire to perform.
Experiment. Maybe you’re pet’s less of a hello and more of a howdy kind of bird. If your bird does respond well to what or how you’re trying to teach them, try something else.
Give your bird a variety of sounds to produce, you not only make sure they’re entertained, you stimulate their brain’s natural tendency to learn with novelty. Studies have shown that song birds learn to sing in much the same way human babies learn to talk, through babble and vocal experimentation.
Be patient. Learning capacities vary species to species and bird to bird. Some species can begin speaking after just a few months, and some take years to develop the capacity to speak.[11] Give your feathered friend some time to express themselves, and they’ll return the respect.