Talking bird: Difference between revisions

{{TAFI}}

[[File:Amazon edited.ogg|thumbtime=1|thumb|right|240px|Video of a caged [[Orange-winged Amazon]] saying "Hello" having been prompted by visitors.]]

'''Talking birds''' are [[bird]]s that can mimic [[human]] [[speech]]. Talking birds have varying degrees of communication capabilities: some, like the [[crow]], are able to mimic only a few words and phrases, while some [[budgerigar]]s have been observed to have a vocabulary of almost 2,000 words. The [[Hill Myna]] is a commonly kept pet, well known for its talking ability – while its relative, the [[European Starling]], is also adept at mimicry.<ref>[http://www.starlingtalk.com/talkingstarlings.htm "Talking Starlings"]. Starling Talk. Retrieved May 26, 2013.</ref> Wild cockatoos in Australia have been reported to have learned human speech from ex-captive birds that have integrated into the flock.<ref>Price, Hannah (September 15, 2011). [http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal/Parrots-and-other-wild-birds-able-to-talk.htm "Birds of a feather talk together"]. ''Australian Geographic''.</ref>

The earliest reference to a talking bird comes from [[Ctesias]] in 5th century BCE. The bird which he called Bittacus,<ref name="Mancini">{{cite book|last=Mancini|first=Julie Rach|title=Why Does My Bird Do That: A Guide to Parrot Behavior|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=KC8P4aGNd3oC&pg=PA183|date=11 October 2006|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-0-470-08493-9|page=183}}</ref> may have been a [[plum-headed parakeet]].<ref name="Nichols">{{cite book|last=Nichols|first=Andrew|title=Ctesias: On India|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=YVwBAQAAQBAJ&pg=PT59|year=2013|publisher=A&C Black|isbn=978-1-4725-1998-6|page=59}}</ref>

==Process==

{{see also|Bird vocalization}}

The young of some birds learn to communicate by [[social learning]], imitating their parents, as well as the dominant birds of their flock. Lacking vocal cords, birds are thought to make tones and sounds using throat muscles and membranes – the [[Syrinx (bird anatomy)|syrinx]] in particular.<ref name="BBCNews birds teach each other">{{cite news|last=Lane|first=Megan|title=How can birds teach each other to talk?|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-14930062|accessdate=3 December 2013|newspaper=BBC News Magazine|date=16 September 2011}}</ref>

[[Songbirds]], [[parrots]] and [[hummingbirds]] are the three groups of birds able to learn new sounds,<ref name="BBCNews birds teach each other" /> though not necessarily words.{{cn|date=December 2013}} Pet birds can be taught to speak by their owners by mimicking their voice. If then introduced to wild birds, the wild birds may also mimic the new sounds. This phenomenon has been observed in [[Sydney]], [[Australia]], with wild parrots uttering phrases such as "Hello darling!" and "What's happening?" in parks.<ref name="BBCNews birds teach each other" />

==Types of talking birds==

===Parakeets===

Common [[parakeet]]s (''Melopsittacus undulatus''), or [[budgerigar]]s, are a popular talking-bird species because of their potential for large vocabularies, ease of care and well-socialized demeanor.<ref>Souza, Anton (January 24, 2013). [http://www.birdchannel.com/bird-species/find-the-right-bird/best-talking-birds.aspx "Top 3 Best Talking Parrots"]. Bird Channel.com. </ref> Between 1954 and 1962, a budgerigar named "Sparkie" held the record for having the largest vocabulary of a talking bird; at his death, he knew 531 words and 383 sentences.<ref name=Mancini/> In 1995, a budgerigar named "Puck" was credited by [[Guinness World Records]] as having the largest [[vocabulary]] of any bird, at 1,728 words.<ref>{{cite book |editor= Claire Folkard |title=Guinness World Records 2004 |publisher=Guinness World Records Limited |isbn=0-85112-180-2 |page= 54}}</ref>

===Amazon parrots===

Many species of the genus [[Amazon parrot|Amazona]], particularly the [[Yellow-headed Amazon]] (''Amazona oratrix''),<ref>{{cite book | author = Larry Lachman, Diane Grindol, and Frank Kocher | title = Birds Off the Perch: Therapy and Training for Your Pet Bird | publisher = Simon and Schuster | year = 2003 | url = http://books.simonandschuster.com/9780743227049, http://books.simonandschuster.ca/9780743227049 | isbn = 0-7432-2704-2 | page = 7}}</ref> are outstanding talkers. [[Yellow-naped Amazon|Yellow-napes]] (''Amazona auropalliata''), [[Yellow-crowned Amazon|Yellow-crowned]] (''Amazona ochrocephala'') and [[Panama Amazon]]s (''Amazona ochrocephala panamensis'') are highly regarded as talking parrots.{{Citation needed|date=April 2009}} They tend to relate sounds to relationships more than the African Grey Parrots, and therefore outperform the African Grey Parrots in more social environments.

===African Grey Parrots===

The [[African Grey Parrot]]s (''Psittacus erithacus'') are particularly noted for their advanced [[Animal cognition|cognitive]] abilities and their ability to talk.

[[Alex (parrot)|"Alex"]] had a vocabulary of about 100 words, substantially less than world record holders,<ref>{{cite book |last=Pepperberg |first=Irene Maxine |year=2000 |title=The Alex Studies: Cognitive and Communicative Abilities of Grey Parrots |publisher=Harvard University Press |isbn=978-0674000513}}</ref> but he is perhaps the best known talking bird due to the publicity surrounding his potential cognitive abilities. In learning to speak, Alex showed scientist [[Irene Pepperberg]] that he understood categories like "same and different" and "bigger and smaller". He could identify objects by their shape ("Three-corner", "Four-corner", up to "Six-corner") and material: when shown a [[pom-pom]] or a wooden block, he could answer "Wool" or "Wood" correctly, about 80% of the time. Alex could identify the difference between yellow and green same-sized objects by saying "Color" or identify a larger one by naming its color. If asked what the difference was between two identical blue keys, Alex learned to reply, "None" (he pronounced it "Nuh").<ref>{{cite news |last=Smith |first=Dinitia |url=http://www.nytimes.com/1999/10/09/arts/a-thinking-bird-or-just-another-birdbrain.html?showabstract=1 |title=A Thinking Bird or Just Another Birdbrain? |work=The New York Times |date=October 9, 1999}}</ref> <ref>[http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/050701_parrotzero1frm.htm "Researchers explore whether parrot has concept of zero"]. World Science. July 2, 2005.</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Talbot|first=Margaret Talbot|title=BIRDBRAIN: The woman behind the world’s chattiest parrots.|url=http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/05/12/080512fa_fact_talbot|accessdate=6 December 2013|newspaper=The New Yorker|date=MAY 12, 2008}}</ref> Alex died on September 6, 2007.<ref>{{cite news|last=Carey|first=Benedict|title=Alex, a Parrot Who Had a Way With Words, Dies|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/10/science/10cnd-parrot.html?_r=0|accessdate=6 December 2013|newspaper=New York Times|date=September 10, 2007}}</ref>

"Prudle" held the Guinness World Record for the bird with the biggest vocabulary for many years with a documented vocabulary of 800 words.<ref>[http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=15+1840&aid=2268 "African Grey Parrot Species Profile"]. Pet Education.com. Retrieved May 26, 2013.</ref>

"[[N'kisi]]" is noted for his impressive [[English language|English]] usage skills and other abilities. As of January 2004, he had a documented vocabulary of 950 words. N'kisi is believed to be one of the most advanced users of human language in the animal world.<ref>{{cite news |last=Morelle |first=Rebecca |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3430481.stm | publisher=BBC News | title=Animal world's communication kings | date=May 1, 2007}}</ref>

"Einstein" appeared on many television shows and became famous for her ability to recreate sounds as well as talking. Video clips show her making the sound of a laser beam generator and an evil-sounding laugh. She has been trained by Stephanie White.<ref>[http://www.ted.com/speakers/einstein_the_parrot.html " Einstein the Parrot"]. [[TED (conference)|TED]]. Retrieved May 26, 2013.</ref>

"Bibi", a Congo African Grey Parrot (''Psittacus erithacus erithacus''), is is able to use greetings from 20 different languages and count in 6, earning her the nickname "The Polyglot Parrot." At 6 years old, Bibi has already developed a vocabulary of more than 500 words.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bibisteps.com/AboutMe/tabid/105/Default.aspx|title=All About Bibi|publisher=BibiSteps.com|year=2013|accessdate=December 7, 2013}}</ref>

===Other parrots===

Most parrot species are capable of mimicking human words. Many can learn to use phrases in context; they can also be trained to imitate any words. [[Monk Parakeet]]s (''Myiopsitta monachus'') are also reputed to be skilled talkers.{{citation needed|date=December 2013}}

===Hill Mynas===

[[Gracula|Hill Myna]]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.<ref>{{cite web |last=Butterfield |first=Kathy |url=http://www.mynahbird.org/species/hills/hills.html |title=Hill Mynah |publisher=Mynah Bird Home Page |accessdate=May 26, 2013}}</ref>

==In fiction==

Talking birds are used as a plot element in fiction, notably in many works by [[Gabriel Garcia Marquez]].<ref name="Athan">{{cite book|last=Athan|first=Mattie Sue|title=Guide to Companion Parrot Behavior|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=LLDrTg17ifEC&pg=PA77|date=1 November 2009|publisher=Barron's Educational Series|isbn=978-0-7641-4213-0|page=77}}</ref>

{{portal|Birds}}

{{reflist|30em}}

{{Commons}}