Birds don’t have lips, teeth, or vocal cords but can imitate human speech. Even though they don’t understand the meaning behind the words they learn, they can use them in context through their behavior. Many birds are known to be able to learn and mimic human speech. If you require a talking pet, you will need to understand their capability and ease of learning to avoid pushing your bird during the training period.
The following is a list of talking birds that can mimic human speech:
1. Budgies
If you are wondering, Can budgies talk?, then yes, they can talk and can develop an impressive vocabulary of words.
Budgies are small, beautiful, intelligent, and friendly birds with low maintenance costs. They can develop a vocabulary of hundreds of words, and they are the Guinness World Records holders for having the most extensive bird vocabulary of 2000 words.
They take a long time to train as they struggle to learn at first. However, once they have mastered the first few words, it is easy for them to extend their vocabulary.
2. Quaker Parrots
Quaker parrots are social, energetic, and intelligent birds with charming personalities and a strong ability to talk. Quakers are entertaining and can use their words in their content. They can build a large vocabulary of 40–100 words.
3. Amazon Parrots
Amazon parrots have a large vocabulary of 100–120 words. They are hardy, sociable, and good at learning tricks. The birds have exceptional voice clarity compared to other types of parrots.
4. Cockatoos
Have a softer, sweeter speaking voice than other parrots. They are intelligent, hardy, and friendly, thus making them the best pets to keep.
It is difficult to train them to talk, and they have a vocabulary of 10–30 words.
5. Indian Ringneck Parakeets
They are hardy, easy to find, and intelligent. Ringneck parakeets can repeat human speech that they hear and have the capability of learning longer phrases. The birds have a vocabulary of 100–130 words.
6. African Grey Parrots
African grey parrots are sweet and affectionate and are able to develop a vocabulary of 50–200 words. They can speak with clarity and use words in context.
The birds can identify colors, shapes, and quantities, as well as speak foreign languages, count, tell jokes, and laugh.
7. Starlings
Starlings can mimic the sounds of other animals such as goats, frogs, cats, and human beings. They can copy household sounds from alarms, bells, and appliances. Starlings usually mimic to protect territory and attract mates.
8. Ravens
They can mimic a few words and phrases, animal calls, car engines and appliances.
Apart from talking, ravens make short and repeated shrill calls, deep rasping calls, rapid knocking sounds, and bill snapping. They have a good memory, can recognize faces, and can learn an average of 100 words.
9. Eclectus Parrots
These parrots are brightly colored, intelligent birds with strong speech-mimicking capabilities. Eclectus parrots are highly vocal and noisy, with a vocabulary of 100–120 words.
Apart from being excellent mimics, they are also able to produce sounds such as tones, coos, laughs and whistles.
10. Severe Macaw
They are not as verbal as other parrots, but they can mimic speech. Macaws have a high-pitched voice, and the majority of them can speak with clarity.
The birds can develop an extensive vocabulary, learn short phrases, and sing some parts of a song.
11. Mocking Birds
Mockingbirds, as their names suggest, can mimic human speech as well as the calls of other bird species and boast a more extensive vocabulary, whereby males mimic and sing more than females.
12. Derbyan Parakeet
This species of parakeet produces less noise and is less demanding. However, many of the birds love talking and can get a bit noisy. If well trained, they can have a vocabulary of 20–40 words and can even form complete sentences.
13. Crows
Crows can distinguish between human languages without training. Those in captivity can learn to repeat English words, making it easy to copy human speech.
They are easier trained at a young age than at an old age and can remember faces; thus, they are good at holding grudges.
They react noisily when other crows die as a result of their emotional depth and intelligence and oftentimes hold funerals for the deceased.
14. Myna Birds
They are members of the Starling family. Can speak clearly, are sociable, and have a vocabulary of 100 words. Myna birds can replicate human pitch and tone and are good for beginners as they easily adapt to life in a cage.
Which Bird Can Talk the Best?
African grey birds can talk the most and are known for their impressive vocabulary. They speak with clarity and can use words in context.
They are among the best talkers since they can repeat words and phrases after hearing them once or twice.
These birds start talking between 12 and 18 months of age, and sometimes earlier, depending on the individual bird.
What Is the Loudest Talking Bird?
Parrots are among the most talkative bird species, with quaker parrots, Indian ringneck parakeets, cockatoos, and Eclectus parrots topping the list of the loudest talking birds.
Some birds may be loud during the day, while others will be heard chirping into the night.
The Northern mockingbird and American robin are the most talkative small birds, whose mimicking is often heard at night, and they can talk all night.
Best Talking Birds For Beginners
Budgies are one of the best-talking birds that beginners can tame. They have low maintenance costs, are friendly, and are easy to tame. They are also brilliant speakers.
Quaker parrots and Myna birds can also make the best pets for beginners due to their social nature.
What Is the Cheapest Bird To Buy That Talks?
Budgies are the cheapest talking birds that you can get on a tight budget. They can learn a large number of phrases and songs. You can acquire one for $15–$100 from local breeders and rescue organizations.
The cost of budgies varies depending on your locality and the breed that you want. You can get cheap talking birds for sale near you from your local breeder or any pet shop in your town.