Can an old bird learn to talk?

[Beth In Alaska]

I read that Alexandrine Parakeets are good talkers. Popper is unaware of this fact. He says one thing - some sort of duckduckduck hello hello ( in two distinctly different voices for the hellos) and makes a couple of noises.

I read "a parrot of any age can learn to talk!" . Popper is indeed of just about ANY age, lol.

I read that the way to teach a parrot to talk is to talk to it. Well, if that is so, my parrots hit the jackpot as I have been running a constant stream of one way conversation with pets and my kid since I got my first dog in 2000. I chattered so much my kid learned to talk incredibly early.

However, my guess is that if popper wanted to talk he would have talked by now. Besides duckduckduck hello. I don't really care if he learns to talk, just curious. I do see he is learning to understand some things I say and he asks for things he wa to by turning his head upside down. But we have had no conversation

Rio does seem to be learning to talk but I can't understand any of it, lol. The same thing happened when my kid was a toddler - he would talk and I had no idea what he was saying. Other (more maternal?) women would often translate the full sentences my child was speaking. Perhaps I can find a bird translator for Rio.

 

[Cynthia & Percy]

i had a g2 Little General that started to talk and say Valery at 17 years old

 

[sunnysmom]

My tiel is 19 and doesn't talk- or so I thought. And I had been told that at his age, he probably never would. But I swear, there have been at least three times this past year that I thought I heard him talk........ And he does learn new sounds to mimic. So I think anything is possible........

 

[Tiel Feathers]

I think that they can start talking when they are older, and that they might even say things they heard years ago.

 

[SueA555]

Joey is 18, and has always talked. in the past couple of months, he has learned more new words.

 

[Clueless]

Yes.

My Secret is in his 30's and now says words the bird didn't say before.

Even said I love you two times (at least I THINK those words were said, very softly). Haven't bragged because I'm not sure....

 

[Ankou]

My lovebird didn't really start to try and talk until she was 10.
She is extremely difficult to understand, so it's likely she was 'saying' Good Morning a while time before I picked up on it. Once I started encouraging her she added a small handful of new phrases with maybe one new phrase a year since that first year. I still honestly can't understand some of what she says, it basically sounds like someone letting the air out of a balloon in syllables. But I find her little squeaky noises precious and it was quite a surprise.

Maybe with encouragement he'll learn more? Or not, but it sounds like you are doing the right things.
Rio might also learn to speak more clearly too with practice but I don't think cheekies are known for being clear speakers.

 

[Beth In Alaska]

Yes.

My Secret is in his 30's and now says words the bird didn't say before.

Even said I love you two times (at least I THINK those words were said, very softly). Haven't bragged because I'm not sure....

You should brag!! loudly and clearly!

 

[Beth In Alaska]

My lovebird didn't really start to try and talk until she was 10.
She is extremely difficult to understand, so it's likely she was 'saying' Good Morning a while time before I picked up on it. Once I started encouraging her she added a small handful of new phrases with maybe one new phrase a year since that first year. I still honestly can't understand some of what she says, it basically sounds like someone letting the air out of a balloon in syllables. But I find her little squeaky noises precious and it was quite a surprise.

Its the same as toddlers -lol cant' understand them at first. That sounds hilariously cute.

Popper is pretty quiet - he doesn't generally chatter like Rio. He says dukduckduckhellow, a loud whistle when he wants something, and a loud crashing type noise when he hears a loud crashing type noise (which I LOVE!!!. I will try and encourage him talking and making noise overall.


Incidentally as we were on our way out the door yesterday we hear Rio rhythmically screeching over and over - this is entirely new and I was slightly concerned so I ran down to check on her and from what I could tell she was dancing and singing to the radio in a horrible screeech screeeech screeeech accompanied by BOB BOB BOB.

 

[sunnysmom]

You should brag!! loudly and clearly!

I agree!

 

[Clueless]

I agree!

I'm not positive though! It may be wishful thinking....

 

[JLcribber]

In general males in most species have a wider variety of sounds and vocalizations. This is a mating thing again. The males sing and try to outdo each other vying for the females attention.

Learning to speak is like any other training in that words are "associated with actions or events. Consistent use of the word followed by the action. Simple phrases. Words with hard syllables like rock.

If the bird is going to speak and wants to communicate, that is how they will pick it up.

 

[Beth In Alaska]

I like that boy birds have to be pretty to attract girls. And sing nice. I think Human boys should have to do the same.

We will attempt to make Popper a talker/singer/sound making bird. Wonder if it's been trained out - if so I believe he will get over it like his fear of leaving the top of the cage.

 

[txdyna65]

I think you are on the right track, give lots of encouragement. When I had my tiel years ago when he would say stuff or try to , I would laugh and tell him what a good
boy he was. He picked up on that and learned lots of new words and phrases. He probably learned more after age 10 than he did all the years before.
I also do the same thing with Lucy now, the laughing really gets her going and she laughs right along with me. I also tell her what a
good girl she is and a pretty girl and you're so funny along with the laughing. She now says all of that along with the laughing. She is young though, but same applied encouragement helps

 

[VictoriaVague]

Its the same as toddlers -lol cant' understand them at first. That sounds hilariously cute.

Popper is pretty quiet - he doesn't generally chatter like Rio. He says dukduckduckhellow, a loud whistle when he wants something, and a loud crashing type noise when he hears a loud crashing type noise (which I LOVE!!!. I will try and encourage him talking and making noise overall.


Incidentally as we were on our way out the door yesterday we hear Rio rhythmically screeching over and over - this is entirely new and I was slightly concerned so I ran down to check on her and from what I could tell she was dancing and singing to the radio in a horrible screeech screeeech screeeech accompanied by BOB BOB BOB.

Sounds like Titus. He thinks he is blessed with the most amazing singing voice. Every bit of music on TV he screeches along to at the top of his lungs. I can't talk though, I have horrible singing voice too.

Conure voices are funny. I used to not understand any of what they said but gradually you learn to decipher.

Popper may still pick stuff up. I find bed time when the covers go on or as the light is dying and they're getting ready for bed is when they practice their words most. Then when they're happy with them they bust them out whenever.

Also, when they do say something, I repeat it back to them. Then we have a competition to see who gets bored of saying that word over and over first. The birds usually win.