Of all the creatures on Earth, only two can produce human language: humans…and birds. Of the few birds that can imitate human speech, including
Songbirds and parrots are the two groups of birds able to learn and mimic human speech. However, it has been found that the mynah bird, part of the starling family, can also be conditioned to learn and create human speech.
Behind the beak: Parrot physiology and speech:
The sounds produced by the larynx and the syrinx can both be modified into recognizable human type words as they pass through the throat, mouth, and are manipulated by the tongue.
Yes, birds absolutely have language. They use both body language and specific vocalizations to communicate with other birds, attract mates, stay in contact with family, announce/defend territory, and gain advanced warning of nearby predators & danger.
“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.
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.
and psittacines (parrots, macaws, and cockatoos) are often considered the most intelligent birds, and are among the most intelligent animals in general. Pigeons, finches, domestic fowl, and birds of prey have also been common subjects of intelligence studies.
Parrots are especially adept at mimicking sounds and human language. Unlike songbirds, which produce sounds by vibrating membranes in two different syrinxes, parrots have only one syrinx, located at the bottom of the windpipe. This is somewhat similar to humans, who also have only one sound-producing organ, the larynx.
In the wild, parrots usually make bird sounds because they are surrounded by other birds. But around humans, parrots often imitate human words because they see their owners as part of their new family, or “flock.” They copy human sounds to fit in with their human flock.
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.
Do the songbirds on the wire outside my window listen when I practice the violin? A. In all likelihood, they do, said Timothy J. DeVoogd, a professor of psychology at Cornell University, who has long studied both human and bird brains, particularly how the brains of birds encode learned behaviors like song.
Birds Do Have Brains
And they are exceptionally intelligent creatures when it comes to socialization. In fact, it's the complex responses seen from bird socialization that leads scientists to believe they experience emotions at least to some degree.
Bird intelligence comes in many forms, and scientists are finding that many species exhibit intelligence similar to that of marine mammals, apes and even humans. Parrots come to mind, with their ability to solve problems, form emotional bonds, mimic speech and even understand some rudimentary grammar.
Our canine pets are such good social learners that they can detect speech and distinguish languages without any explicit training. Just like you, your dog knows when someone is speaking your native tongue or a foreign language, Hungarian researchers reported.
To persuade females to come close, the male lyrebird sings the most complex song he can manage. And he does that by copying the sounds of all the other birds he hears around him – including the sounds of chainsaws and camera shutters!
Male lyrebirds use their mimicking talents mainly for courtship, according to the National Audubon Society. During their breeding season, from June to August, male lyrebirds can be heard singing for up to 4 hours a day.
Pepperberg wrote that Alex's intelligence was on a level similar to dolphins and great apes. She also reported that Alex seemed to show the intelligence of a five-year-old human in some respects, and had not reached his full potential by the time he died.
#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.
Our canine friends are not nearly as clever as chimpanzees or dolphins. They rank in a similar way to cats, goats and pigs. And depressingly, in some ways, they aren't as smart as birds like pigeons and magpies.
What is the easiest bird to train to talk? Quaker Parakeet or Monk Parakeet is one of the quick learner birds with an extensive vocabulary. They're suitable for first-time owners. But if you want an advanced bird, African Greys, Amazon, and Eclectus parrots also make an excellent choice.
The highly intelligent African grey is often regarded as the best talking bird, with some amassing vocabularies of hundreds of words. There's even research suggesting these parrots can use words in context to have simple conversations, though that doesn't necessarily mean they understand what they're saying.
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.