Chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans have used sign language, physical tokens, keyboards and touch screens to communicate with humans in numerous research studies. The research showed that they understood multiple signals and produced them to communicate with humans.
There were parrots that learnt to use words in proper context and had meaningful dialogues with humans. Alex, a grey parrot, understood questions about color, shape, size, number etc. of objects and would provide a one-word answer to them. He is also documented to have asked an existential question.
Gorillas and humans go way back. All the way back to our common ancestor who lived 10 million years ago, in fact. Because gorillas and humans are so close on the primate family tree, it would make sense that they would be the first animals that humans could actually talk to.
Bottlenose Dolphins
For years, dolphins have been heralded as the smartest animals on Earth, second only to humans—though some would even contest that ranking. Aside from humans, dolphins have the greatest brain-to-body ratio among animal species, including primates.
Only three far-related mammal groups — humans, bats, and cetaceans — and three bird species — parrots, songbirds, and hummingbirds — have been proven to possess the brain pathways required for vocal learning. Here are 7 amazing animals capable of speech.
“Parrots who talk know what they're saying if they are taught appropriately,” Pepperberg says. For example, a bird trained to identify favorite foods knows exactly what they mean when they ask for them.
Hill mynahs. Hill mynahs (tropical members of the starling family of birds) are renowned for their ability to mimic the human voice. It has been claimed that the hill mynah is the best talking bird and the best mimic in the world.
The distinct voice of the Kookaburra sounds like human laughing— some people think! They are carnivorous, preferring mice, bugs, small reptiles and snakes.
African Greys: Generally considered the most intelligent talking bird species, with speaking/thinking abilities comparable to human toddlers, the Timneh Grey parrot typically learns to talk earlier in life than the Congo African Grey.
Previous research has focused on crows' ability to recognise and communicate with their own species. The crows responded significantly more often to unfamiliar than familiar human voices and, conversely, responded more to familiar than unfamiliar jackdaw calls.
The corvids (ravens, crows, jays, magpies, etc.) and psittacines (parrots, macaws, and cockatoos) are often considered the most intelligent birds, and are among the most intelligent animals in general.
They don't really know what they're saying. But some professionally-trained parrots have learned to understand what they're saying. One such bird was an African Grey Parrot called Alex. Alex was trained to understand and use language.
Parrots accept us for who we are. They do not demand that we “change” but instead they learn to adapt. Perhaps it is time to open our own eyes a little wider and see ourselves as they see us… and to place our heart in our hands and feel “for” them as much as they feel for us.
Unsurprisingly, chimpanzees are one of the most intelligent animals on this planet—next to humans, of course. Similar to how humans inherit their intelligence from their mother, a chimpanzee's intelligence also greatly relies on their genes.
Primates. Chimpanzees can make at least 32 sounds with distinct meanings for humans. Chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans have used sign language, physical tokens, keyboards and touch screens to communicate with humans in numerous research studies.
Singing, Talking or Whistling These are clear signs that your bird is in a happy mood and is healthy and content. Some birds may show off and do this more when near people. Chatter Soft chatter is another sign of contentment, or can just be your bird attempting and learning to talk.
Parrots do have the ability to use human language when communicating with humans. Many parrots have shown conclusively that they can use our language to communicate with us.
Parrots are very sensitive to our emotions, sometimes better than we are. Our birds are keen observers of our facial expressions, body language, tone and even energy levels and therefore we have to be cognizant of how our emotions can impact our birds.
#1: Crow — Putting Two and Two Together
Crows are so intelligent that they can remember human facial features. No smartest bird list is complete without the crow! Crows are considered the smartest of all birds for several reasons. Furthermore, it's the variety of things they can do that puts them over the top.
The Kea has been enlisted by many as the worlds most intelligent bird among top ten intelligent birds. The Kea is found in New Zealand and it is basically a parrot. This extremely intelligent bird knows how to be very crafty when it comes to finding or stealing food.
Dogs can join the police force and monkeys are our fellow primates, but new research found that parrots might be the smartest animal of them all. A new study found that African Grey Parrots performed as well as three-year-old children on a mental test.
Only one bird species has shown evidence of self-recognition and that's the magpie. The birds are capable of recognizing a non-natural mark on their feathers and preening it until it no longer appears in a mirror. They've also used mirrors to guide their own self-directed behavior.
Do Birds Respond to Human Whistles? Some birders have had success in attracting birds by whistling at them. It's possible that birds mistake the sound of the human range of whistles for the call of another bird, but it's also possible that they simply enjoy the sound of whistling and come to investigate.