Talking abilities

[jensea]

I know the early years are extremely important for a parrot to learn flock language.. does vocabulary continue to grow for U2's even as they age? We've been singing "Happy Bird day" (to the melody of happy birthday) to Ozzy and he's now got the phrase and pitch down (a bit tone deaf still). Just curious as to what your experience has been. Ozzy is supposedly 8 years.

 

[Allee]

Poppy was eight when we adopted her. She's not a big talker but she hardly talked at all in her previous home. She has learned new words and phrases in the two plus years we've had her. She loves to sing and she's learned to mimic a few animal noises she hears our quakers make.

 

[jensea]

Thanks Allee! I think Ozzy has the potential to learn more, so we'll see what he picks up

 

[Siobhan]

Rocky was abused in his last two homes (at least the last two) and he's just starting to get comfy enough to show off for us, six months later. So I'm not sure how much of what he says is learned from us and how much is stuff he knew but wasn't brave enough to show until recently. However, our best guess on his age is mid to late teens (and we could be WILDLY off kilter there) and he is working on learning the family flock call whistle, which I really, really, REALLY doubt he already knew.

 

[ToMang07]

Willow said a good bit when I got her, still says most of it. She's picked up a few new ones, such as "It's ok" and "Are you ok?" and "What are you doing?"

She also sings 2 new songs, along with a wolf whistle. My sister taught her some song called "Chandelier" which she LOVES to sing, turns her into the most off-key, tone-deaf diva you've ever seen, but it's great to watch as she dances across her lap/arm singing. She also sings and dances to "Bird is the Word" by The Trashmen, only because I love Family Guy, lol

 

[jensea]

She also sings and dances to "Bird is the Word" by The Trashmen, only because I love Family Guy, lol

We're doing that one too.. for the same reason

 

[ToMang07]

She also sings and dances to "Bird is the Word" by The Trashmen, only because I love Family Guy, lol

We're doing that one too.. for the same reason

I get one hell of a kick out of it, she sings it normal at first, usually with a crowned head bob, but it quickly goes into turbo fast-forward "Bird-Bird-Bird-Bird-Bird-Bird-Bird-Bird-Bird-Bird-!!!!!!!!!" which in of itself is still hilarious.

I'll have to try and get it on video.

 

[jensea]

Yes! I want to see it!

 

[Sucre]

Sucre is 6 years old - we have only had her for 2 weeks. She talks a LOT. Most of it is very plain. We can get her to say anything just by saying it to her a couple of times. She is particularly enchanted by my 4 year old grandson's voice and repeats every single word he says. She sings Happy Birthday frequently, and there is another song that she sings a lot that we do not recognize, and she's a little harder to understand on that one. But its always the same melody, albeit a little hard to listen to 30 times in a row. I told my husband the other night that her singing voice reminded me of Neil Young.

I think what really gets me is that she seems to know just what to say, and exactly when to say it. I will never believe it is just mimicry with this bird.

I guess it isn't that common for them to talk?