Talking - Encouraging Speech

[vanyasmom]

OK, Vanya has said his first word. Zhorichka. It is the name of one of his cyber buddies. I was very surprised that that is the word that he learned first. It is NOT the word he hears most often. Or any of the words that all but one of his friends say.

If I say it to him, he will say it back. I did find a video where the girl says other words and the budgie answers that same word back. I interspersed that one frequently (now) (just found it a couple days ago).

I am ELATED that he is able to say anything at all at this early stage. He is just starting his baby molt. So, he is quite young. I have great confidence in his speaking ability. He still has stripes down to his cere, but is starting to get white adult feathers to replace those. Just starting to.

He says his friend's name clearly. So, he has good speaking ability.

My question is how to encourage other words? I have been clicker training in general. Would it help to keep reinforcing the one word? Such as, keep a clicker handy - and click treat him when he says it? (the one word he says?) Would that help to let him know that I want him to mimic speech?

I have heard/read that as he matures, his ability to speak is often improved. I can tell by the tone he is trying to say other words. They are just not clear yet.

I have only had him for about 2 months 13 days. So, I am totally elated that he says anything. At this early stage.

 

[Mizzely]

I mean, he wants to communicate with you, so is adapting to his environment by speaking your language, literally. I suppose he could be clicker trained? But honestly my birds say what they want to say, and they tend to repeat stuff that is fun to them, important, or that they get a likable response from. So like Jingo says "oink oink oink" because he thinks it's funny, says "night night" when he wants to go to bed, and "how are you?" because he was encouraged to say so by repetition and treats. I have never thought to clicker train it because it's kinda natural in some ways. And names to repeat makes sense, as young birds often learn names first in the wild, too. Theirs just sound more like chirps

 

[EllaMay]

I have a CAG she came home to me at 12 weeks, within one week I realized oh dear she picks up words that I may have stated a couple of times. Fast forward to 18 months old she sings songs and picks what she will say and sentences to the max and mixes word to her liking and blend into a sentence. My advice is talk, talk and talk repeat and rinse, including sentences and if you do songs make sure you can sing, because Ella sings identical to myself and it isn't pretty, you should hear her "Good Girls don't cry song", even my mother when she is one the phone with me goes April you never were a singer when she hears Ella sing a song.

 

[Lady Jane]

I have had a male budgie that was fantastic at talking. I did nothing special to encourage speech. It could be as simple as some talk and some do not. My current male budgie is just over a year and does not talk. I really believe the talkers pick and choose the words they want to say. May string a few words together too.

 

[CrazyBirdChick]

Words that they can associate an action to seem to catch on easier too. Like for instance when something falls, Blu says ooo oooh. When I leave he says I'll be right back, when I give him food he says go eat the yummies, when he bites he says Get out or go (though that's not a good one to take example from ) So whenever you do stuff, tell him what you are doing.

 

[Mizzely]

Agreed, things that are attached to a meaning are helpful. Just talk as much as possible, and with excitement. That helps a lot.

@CrazyBirdChick Jingo says "Oh my god!" when he falls and it kills me everytime

 

[EllaMay]

Words that they can associate an action to seem to catch on easier too. Like for instance when something falls, Blu says ooo oooh. When I leave he says I'll be right back, when I give him food he says go eat the yummies, when he bites he says Get out or go (though that's not a good one to take example from ) So whenever you do stuff, tell him what you are doing.

So true action is meaningful. Simple as "Good Morning", Good Bye, "Num Nums, Nite Nite, Be Nice."

 

[cassiesdad]

It could be as simple as some talk and some do not.

Agreed.
I also do nothing to encourage speech in my birds...unless you count talking to them as encouragement. I treat any speech as a blessing and let it go at that.

Most of my birds pick up a handful of words...for example, Cassie would say, "I love you", "Good Night", and for some reason, "Truck".

Then, there's Milton...I don't have any explanation for him, other than he's an exceptional bird...we're very lucky to be owned by him...

 

[Lady Jane]

My little exceptional talker that is over the bridge could not say bath for some reason although her tried and tried. He got out the word "bap" for bath. It was cute.

 

[msplantladi]

They also go in stages, talk up a storm then seems like nothing for months. We fostered a 25 year old African Grey that we ended up adopting that chatted up a storm-now a year later he says very little and sings like one of my Love Birds. Sometimes he will say something like a phrase or one word and then never say it again. My Military is probably my best talker, my Blue n Gold is a phrase repeater, one sentence over & over again all day long.

 

[CrazyBirdChick]

They also go in stages, talk up a storm then seems like nothing for months.

That's interesting that you say that. I've noticed with my Quaker he goes in stages where he talks like crazy, and then won't say much for weeks.

When it first happened I thought he just totally gave up on talking. But now I've realized it's just a pattern. My own theory is that he talks more when he's hormonal but I'm not sure if that's really the reason.

 

[cassiesdad]

They also go in stages, talk up a storm then seems like nothing for months.

Very true. Milton does the same thing. He also will vocalize more when he gets excited about something...or when he's getting attention from people around him...

 

[Fergus Mom]

I began playing youtube vids of birds talking when Fergus first came - he was interested, but no repeating words...
One day, after listening to what I call our 'favorite song' over and over, it wasn't even on, and all of a sudden he said CHEE CHOO! CHEE CHOO! CHEE CHOO! Three or four times! It took me over a day to figure out he was mimicking the sound 'HEY CHU', in our Mongolian rap song! They say it after a brief pause. SO cute - and the only thing either have ever said, so far. Here's the vid: