One of the most endearing traits of parrots for many people is their ability to talk or mimic noises. Vocal ability varies among species, some are loud, others more quiet; some can learn to speak a human language, while others might only speak bird. Our Pet Bird Selector classifies birds into four categories: vocal communicator, chatterer, whistler, and relatively quiet. Some species fall into more than one category. Only one species is considered relatively quiet: the Vasa parrot.

Possibly the best mimics of human speech are African greys, Amazons, budgies, myna birds, Indian ring-necked parakeets, and Quaker parrots. However, just because a species is known to be a “talker” doesn’t mean that a specific bird will talk. All birds are individuals.

Most species are noisiest at dawn and dusk or when wanting to make contact calls with their flock (which could be you, the owner!).