Training your bird to talk is something many bird owners look forward, although they may not always know how to go about it. Most bird owners have plenty of questions about how best to go about this task, how soon they can expect results, and how many words their bird will learn. All of these answers will vary from one breed to another and even from one individual bird to another. Remember that patience and consistency are important in any form of training, and training your bird to talk is no exception.
Most experts agree that the most successful method of training your bird to talk is through frequent and consistent interaction. Most birds learn to talk in much the same way that babies do, by repeating what they hear most often. Keeping a running dialogue with your bird will help accustom him to hearing and anticipating human speech. Each time you enter the room, be sure to greet him. Try to use one or two short phrases and use them consistently. Saying, “Hello, Bird!” or “Hi, Captain!” each time you enter the room will help him learn to associate these phrases with greetings. This consistent use of words is more effective for training your bird to talk than if you say, “Good morning, pal” and, “Hello, handsome guy” later and, “What’s up, birdie?” the next time.
While each bird is different, most African Grey parrots don’t begin to talk until they are around 12 months old, or even older. Of course, you should not wait until then to begin training your bird to talk. Talk to your bird consistently no matter his age. Birds are learning all the time, although they may wait a while to demonstrate what they have been learning.
By learning to talk, birds are actually learning to communicate. They are interested in the interaction that comes from a conversation, not just repeating words and phrases. This is why you could leave your television on all day, or play audio tapes designed to train your bird nearly nonstop for a month, and your bird may never actually learn to talk more than a few words, if at all. Training your bird to talk involves interacting with her and training her words and phrases that are meaningful to her. She will be more likely to learn words that result in her getting food or affection, for instance, than in learning how to say things that don’t garner results.
Training your bird to talk is a fun and fulfilling process. More than just getting him to repeat words, by training your bird to talk you are helping him learn to communicate and bond with you. Keep in mind that your bird may eventually repeat nearly anything you say, so be sure you aren’t saying anything you don’t want to hear him say when training your bird to talk.
