Last Updated on November 18, 2023 by Mitch Rezman

We get the following phone call on a regular basis.

 

Me: “Hello, Windy City Parrot”.

 

Caller: “Hi do you all sell talking parrots?”

 

If you are a bird person you know there is no such as a “guaranteed to talk”, parrot.

 

Certain species have a higher propensity to talk.

 

Male cockatiels can be good talkers and whistlers, females tend to be quieter but make themselves heard just fine.

 

 

Ringneck parakeets can be good talkers. They will usually choose to talk over screeching which is charming.

 

Budgies are one of the most underrated pet birds ever and can be exceptional talkers.

 

 

Big birds with big brains like Congo African grays cannot only talk but conceptualize and ask existential questions like “what color am I?”

 

Referring to Alex the African Grey who was studied by Dr. Irene Pepperberg for over 20 years.

 

So I’ll try to have fun with the phone call.

 

“When you say ‘talk’ would you like the bird to be educated on a particular subject likes sports or politics or cooking?”

 

The reply is usually “I hadn’t thought about that.”

 

I’ll respond with “that isn’t really a thing.”

 

Then I expand “We just rescued a ‘talking’ bird, a 15-year-old African ringneck named Keto.

 

He can talk and speaks about a dozen phrases that he repeats 20 to 50 times a day over a period of 12 hours.

 

We are bird people so we mindlessly respond back the same dozen phrases which gives Keto great joy in having consistent interactions with his human flock.

 

So if you want to repeat back to your bird “pretty bord” and “good girl” (Keto is a male) 20 times a day which is about 14,000 times a year just for those 2 phrases, get a ‘talking bird’ and let us know how that goes for you.

 

The following inquiry should be no surprise.
Hi, pls a need a talking parrot for my kids. How can I get one?

We do not sell parrots, we only sell parrot supplies, food, and parrot cages.

Please note that parrots do not come already trained to talk.

You can purchase a young parrot, ($300-$1000), and a parrot cage ($400-$2000) plus perches, toys, food ($500), then spend a few hours daily with the bird bonding and talking to it.

After a few months to a few years, the bird might speak a few words for you.

The quality of the talking will depend on the time you spend with it, the proximity with you and your family and the parrot’s desire to talk.

The parrot will vocalize (chirp, scream, holler) from dawn until dusk regardless if you are napping or on the phone.

 

They throw their food (half of every bite taken), out of their cage so you will have to vacuum daily, plus their feathers emit dust so you will have to dust at least once a week.

 

 

They live anywhere from 5 to 70 years depending on the bird and its care.

 

Avian Vets are very expensive and you can expect to pay $200 plus for a well-bird check-up with lab results.

 

More with additional tests.

 

You will need to have the nails trimmed either by a vet or learn how to hold a wriggling, complaining, biting bird and do it yourself.

 

I can go on.

 

It takes a special person, family to have a parrot and truly be able to invite it to be a family member for life. Even if it does not talk.

 

I hope this helps.

Catherine