Do Parrots Understand What They Say?

[Christinenc2000]

Do Parrots Understand What They Say? – “Yes”, According to a New Study

 

[Flboy]

So very very cool!

 

[Christinenc2000]

Yeah I thought so. From the time we got BB we would just say no when he got into something. He fully understands the word and now will use it.

 

[Flboy]

Ya a repeat, but still appropriate.

 

[Birdman666]

The degree of cognitive ability depends on the bird, and how that bird is worked with.

They all pick up certain things in context. Step up. Out. Up. Down. Hello. Goodbye.

With Maggie, all foods are "cracker" and all drink items are "water." And she consciously distinguishes between the two. "Want Some" and "Good" are terms she uses when she sees me eating something BUT they are also terms she uses when she regurges for me... (i.e. this is a human feeding behavior, and we are adapting.)

With my little Dusky, or my CAG it's much more sophisticated than that. My CAG imitates the doorbell ring, just to see if he can get someone to answer it.

He speaks in complete sentences and he uses those sentences in context.

Wanna go for a walk? Is that good? Wanna go outside. Who wants a french fry? Wanna chip? Wanna go watch hockey? Get outta here. Time to clean up/Gotta clean up. Time for breakfast. Time for bed. Time to go to work. Etc.

These are all phrases he uses in context. And he yells GOAL when the buzzer goes off. (Not if the visitors score and it doesn't go off. So that one is clearly a conditioned response.) But he does actually appear to watch the games, and he does his poofy bird dance when someone gets slammed into the boards... (He seems to like goon hockey.)

But beyond that, he has taken phrases that mean something, and repurposed them. The classic case was when he was bombarding me with "wanna go outside" "wanna go for a walk" and I picked up the conures, which meant he wasn't coming this time. My conures were poop trained. He told them "Go Poop" using my voice. (Which they did, all over my shirt.) And Tusk did his poofy bird dance and said "Gotta clean up the poopy mess!"

Yeah, real funny Tusk.

Tell me again that he didn't know what he was saying.

And of course, the Halloween incident. The entire neighborhood was blown away by that one...

My dusky spoke conversationally at times as well, and was so smart it was scary.

Those were the two most gifted with human language I've had.

 

[Kiwibird]

I never knew Frank also had a bird blog and have been wondering why he hasn't been posting on here in quite a while (he used to post interesting stuff in the reptile section all the time. WE MISS YOUR ARTICLES!).

Kiwi has a very small vocabulary (like 3 words). Unfortunately, I don't think anyone ever worked with him in his early life. One thing is a cuss word, and he uses it in-context, ONLY when he's mad at you. Someone clearly used it at him, in anger, a lot at some point for that to have been one of the only words he ever picked up. I hear him struggle sometimes clearly trying to talk (ends up more a babbling, like a baby), but I think he's just too old and has too limited of a range of vocalizations of any kind to pick up new words at this point (his whole vocalization range is maybe 10-12 noises, it's VERY limited). He perfectly well understands many cue words now, and uses body language/gestures to communicate needs as well. We are *working on* getting him to identify colors by non-verbal means and actually making a little slow progress. I think our feathered friends are a whole lot smarter than they sometimes let us in on Ones who are nurtured and loved anyways.

 

[labell]

Well golly gee who doesn't like GOON hockey!!!

 

[Birdman666]

Well golly gee who doesn't like GOON hockey!!!

I really don't care for the goon stuff...

I like that fast end to end stuff...

TUSK likes the fighting, and the tripping, and the seeing people go splat into the boards...

He seems to think it's funny.

 

[labell]

I have the most mild mannered sweet husband but when he puts on hockey gear it's a different story. He doesn't rough first but when the other team gets out of hand with one of his guys he is big enough at 6'3" 230lbs to even things up. I like it...a little too much. Being a person who never got in fights when I was younger unless I was protecting someone else it appeals to my sense of justice.

 

[labell]

I once had the pleasure of watching my husband put on a suit of real armor I damn near SWOONED!!!

 

[Birdman666]

I just get a kick out of watching Tusk watching the games.

For some birds, it's cartoons, or other birds...

Put on hockey, and Tusk appears to be fascinated...

 

[RavensGryf]

Robin knows what 'I love you' means, and will say it appropriately. Other than that, he only knows what the basics mean like step up, in, etc.

Raven is my best talker, but he only mimics most things. The only thing he uses in context is "good boy" in a tentative voice when he's been bad lol.

African Greys absolutely blow me away!

 

[labell]

I may regret it but I taught Willow to blow raspberries, yesterday we were playing and I asked her to sing me a song...she blew a raspberry instead!

 

[Solo]

My living mother downloaded an app of a digital B&G. It learns vocabulary and mimics what it said around the tablet. So of course I have Phoebe out on her playstand and while I'm in the bathroom my mom props the tablet up on the table next to Phoebe. She was fascinated. She kept twisting her head and mumbling to the tablet.

 

[Christinenc2000]

I tell BB Good Bye every morning when I leave for work. Normally when I get home in the evening I have so much to take care of I don't make it back outside . Late yesterday evening was so nice and a breeze coming off the water just cooled everything off. I grabbed a bottle of water and went out onto the deck. After about 5 minutes I hear BB say Good Bye In such a sad voice . I got up went back inside and he started laughing .
This morning I said in a cheerful voice Later gator and gave him a almond . I am not a morning person so trust me this took a lot of energy lol

 

[jasper19]

I don't need a study to know angel understands much of what she is saying. And probably more then i realize.

She says ALL sorts of stuff in context. Like birdman was saying. Hello, Goodbye basic stuff like that.

She will also say "ouch" if she sees me hurt myself. Say "are you ok?" ...will watch me doing something for awhile and then say "what are you doing"....i have no doubt she is wondering what i am doing, so she asks. She will say good night, wanna go to be?" when she starts to get tired. She will say i love you in context, and also say "good girl" after she does something she is suppose to.

Just some examples, there are many more. I think parrots are much smarter then a lot of people give them credit for. I think they understand more of what we say to them then people realize.

 

[Mariar]

Sissy said.. come here! (In my voice) this morning while I was in the other room cleaning sugar glider cages..she doesn't like it when mommy is ignoring her.

 

[MyFlock]

I will usually announce to Duncan the red belly that I'm going to clean his cage before I get started on it, well about two days ago I announced to him that I was going to clean his cage now and he replied back to me " I know that" :11:

Shocking it was, really makes me wonder.

 

[Mimsy01]

Foo knows several words in context, well her context is mostly correct.

Yum she learned when she really liked a particular food. However all things really loved are yum. New rope perch, "yum", a piece of seed bread, "yum", my earring, "yum".

No bite or be nice mean to not bite so hard. If she bites too hard and I say "ouch", she says "be nice" and generally gives me a lick-yuck bird tongue. If she plans a bite hard intentionally she usually says either one and then bites. Sometimes a combo, such as "nice bite"-which really means, watch out I'm angry and gonna getcha good.

She knows kiss in context and if you say kiss she will give one to our cheek.

Hubby plays video games near her cage and so she's learned all her angry words from there.

"Gonna kick your A"-means she's stalking my husband currently. Though not usually truly mad-she wants him to beak box. Which he holds up the back of his hand she she beats on it with her closed beak. "eff you" Is really mad bird.

Good morning is in context. Usually accompanied with a lot of excited head bobbing and a foot waving in hopes of getting picked up.

She says "up" and holds her foot up over her head when she wants someone to pick her up.

She learned my daughters name "Kaylyn" from when I'd be yelling up the stairs for dinner time. so thats the flock call if we leave, I also hear that screamed when coming into the house after leaving. She will yell it if someone left the room that she wants back, including the starling, Zekie.

Can't imagine how anyone could possibly think they don't know context. I mean of course she says stuff just because too-pretty bird, foofanny ect.

 

[Kyoto]

Foo knows several words in context, well her context is mostly correct.

Yum she learned when she really liked a particular food. However all things really loved are yum. New rope perch, "yum", a piece of seed bread, "yum", my earring, "yum".

No bite or be nice mean to not bite so hard. If she bites too hard and I say "ouch", she says "be nice" and generally gives me a lick-yuck bird tongue. If she plans a bite hard intentionally she usually says either one and then bites. Sometimes a combo, such as "nice bite"-which really means, watch out I'm angry and gonna getcha good.

She knows kiss in context and if you say kiss she will give one to our cheek.

Hubby plays video games near her cage and so she's learned all her angry words from there.

"Gonna kick your A"-means she's stalking my husband currently. Though not usually truly mad-she wants him to beak box. Which he holds up the back of his hand she she beats on it with her closed beak. "eff you" Is really mad bird.

Good morning is in context. Usually accompanied with a lot of excited head bobbing and a foot waving in hopes of getting picked up.

She says "up" and holds her foot up over her head when she wants someone to pick her up.

She learned my daughters name "Kaylyn" from when I'd be yelling up the stairs for dinner time. so thats the flock call if we leave, I also hear that screamed when coming into the house after leaving. She will yell it if someone left the room that she wants back, including the starling, Zekie.

Can't imagine how anyone could possibly think they don't know context. I mean of course she says stuff just because too-pretty bird, foofanny ect.

Seems Kyo isn't alone in the talking green cheek abilities

I'm waiting for the day that she starts yelling at the cat in the living room.
"DOUGAL NO!" "BE GOOD DOUGAL" "STOP TEASING THE BIRD!"

So far, she says "poopie" after pooping. She gives me kisses when I ask for them. She says "I love you" in response to me saying hi.

And she also repeatedly says poopie or I love you when she really really wants to come out. I think she's trying to suck up or informing me that she has done her poopie and promises not to poop on the floor she often tricks me and immediately poops on the floor and flies off after fibbing to me. Naughty girl. I'm certain she knows what she's doing.

I have to admit, her saying "Hi Kyo" sounds an awful lot more like "**** you" sometimes….. hehe I once confronted my poor hubby because I thought he had taught her to cuss.

She also talks to the starlings outside yelling "Hey birdie" at them.

I'm so proud of my baby. She has well surpassed my expectations for intelligence and talking ability.