When do Macaws Start to really talk

[tamatha]

Hi Guys.
As you may know I have 2 macaws, Jasper and Pepper, they will be a year old in April. They say a few words like Hello, What, Shut up (I love that),but thats about it.
How long does it take before they really start chatting nice and clear.

I do talk to them a lot, and when we go into the room they say hello. As well as a lot of different noises.

I would just like to know when your birds started talking-and what they say.

Look forward to hearing from you.

 

[triordan]

Unfortunately that may be all you get..BUT keep talking they are smart

 

[Safira]

Not all birds want to talk, the fact that your Macaws say a few words is excellent! Macaw's aren't known to be super chatty like African Greys.

My B & G is 8 months old, and just now starting to try to mummble and I swear is trying to laugh. She doesn't get it yet, she just kinda makes the sounds but they aren't very clear. I think she said 'hello' once though! I am just glad she hasn't figured out the screaming part yet.

 

[Mondos Parents]

Our Bob says quite a few things, but not to much when we are in his sight, he is 7 yrs old, he will tell the dog and Mondo to Shut up. Jake is 6 1/2 months old, he laugh's all the time does a "Ha Ha Ha Ha" thing, he is also saying Hello. Hello Bob, and Love you. I think he will be a "Chatty" macaw, when Bob is in a good mood he will talk some, but that is rare, he also does a great Burp!

 

[JJones1719]

Although most Macaws very when it comes to talking, each Macaw is different. Some seem to enjoy talking while other like to make noise.
My Neleno is 3 years old and around 5-6 months old, he seemed to be really interested in talking, he started out like most do with Hi and hello, but around 1 year old, he seemed to pick up on everything I said or what he heard on T.V. He also will mimic wild birds outside with their whistles and clicks. lol.
It's pretty amazing now, he is starting to use words or phrases with the correct action, this is a little freaky for me and in most cases he is right on whatever action he is performing. In the Morning when I uncover him, he will say good morning, at night when covering him, he says bedtime. When I feed him his meals, he will ask me if it's good. If I give him a treat or his favorite (Almonds) he gets really excited and just says mmmmmmmmmmm. Keep working with your Macaw, reward them when they say a word or phrase, this will help them learn that you want them to talk. Best of luck. Joe

 

[Enjru]

Chilli is my Scarlet Macaw. I've kept her for about 4 years. She only started talking when she was about 2 years old. So far, she is picking up new words every 6 months. First thing she said was, "Hello", followed by "Good", followed by "Wei" (which is what we say in our language when we pick up the phone). She says all these things in context. As soon as the phone rings, or even when I press the numbers on the phone (she only has to hear the very soft beeps even if I'm in the next room), she'll say, "Wei? Hello?"

Chilli has only about 2% of the vocabulary of my Double Yellow Headed Amazons, but she is meticulous about using the words and phrases in context 100% of the time, whereas my Amazons can also speak in context, but at other times, they just enthusiastically vocalize the words and phrases that they know, just because they like the sounds that they are making, without necessarily using the words and phrases in context.

Sometimes, when Chilli doesn't know I can hear her, I notice her practising her speech. I can hear the inflections and pitches of human speech, but without the proper consonants and vowels included, so I can only guess what she's learning to say.

Hope this helps,
Enjru

 

[tamatha]

Not all birds want to talk, the fact that your Macaws say a few words is excellent! Macaw's aren't known to be super chatty like African Greys.

My B & G is 8 months old, and just now starting to try to mummble and I swear is trying to laugh. She doesn't get it yet, she just kinda makes the sounds but they aren't very clear. I think she said 'hello' once though! I am just glad she hasn't figured out the screaming part yet.

Pepper laughs, it quite weird really, and a little creepy at night

 

[tamatha]

Thank you guys...just to up-date Jasper the man, he called out my sons name clear as day last night, I shocked us all, including my son. Peper the female she justs says Hello. But when you ask the to show they "pretty wings" they both will do it. They are learning. But its true, when they dont know you are there they are having a go at making words.

 

[thebirdnerd]

Macaws can vary when it comes to talking. I've seen many macaws talk up a storm, but almost as much that only say a word or two. It really depends on the individual bird. I would leave a radio or tv on for them when you aren't around. You never know what they will come up with.

 

[antoinette]

Thank you guys...just to up-date Jasper the man, he called out my sons name clear as day last night, I shocked us all, including my son. Peper the female she justs says Hello. But when you ask the to show they "pretty wings" they both will do it. They are learning. But its true, when they dont know you are there they are having a go at making words.

Your son must be ecstatic, having the bird say HIS name
When birds are mumbling, they are actually practicing to talk.

I reckon any bird can be taught to talk, only if the bird wants to.

Make cd's, using your voice, saying simple words. Play them for the bird often, also saying them along with the cd, in front of the bird. Later during the day, sit with the bird on your lap repeating the words over a few times. Make if fun and entertaining, in that way the bird will not get bored.

 

[gmkielbasa]

My hahn's mccaw was already trying to talk when i got him, however, he is steadily learning new words, or atleast trying to. He does not like to talk in front of company however..

 

[Mike]

Males speak more than females. My female GW has been gradually adding to her vocabulary for the last 14 months. She now says four things clearly, and mumbles another half dozen.

 

[Luna]

Hi, ( From the counties of Haldinand and Notkolk in Ontario ) My greenwing Luna in her 8th. yr. has about 60 words. If she thinks she's alone she will call my wife Barbara when she wants me it's hello, donald or grampa the las almost unrecoignizable squocks. I think you should try the recording sugestion, once I played 20 min of video of her when she was yunger and luna said hello to that bird repeatedly trying to attract it's attention. Keep talking to them D.D.

 

[BlueandGold]

My Blue and Gold started talking at about 6 months. She is 2 years now. She can say several words: hi , hello, welcome, shut up(lol, i wont tell her that again now!), bye, NO (she definitely knows that one), wow, and banana.

My advice is that he words I repeat are words that when I say I can see a reaction, that my bird loves to hear that word. the first word i taught her was banana. I could tell when isaid that word that she was fascinated by it. find a word your bird loves and repeat slowly, and exaggerate it like you are teaching a baby.

They are like children so you have to say the word like its the best ever.

My bird loves when i say "WOOOOOOOOW!"

How many and which species of macaws do you own? Are they talking now?

 

[triordan]

Remington is a GW and 15 years old, here is a list of what he says
hello
hello there
give me a kiss(kiss sounds too)
knock it off, you hear me
get in there
no, no, no
i see you
come here
good morning
what's up

that's all I can think of right now~ he does sing a song, but I can't tell yet what it is!

 

[MacawGuy]

roscoe is only 1. n he says about 10 words at the moment

 

[DannyA93]

Ok hold up! my FEMALE budgie mumbles ALOT!! Does that mean she's practicing??? you can kinda hear 'hello' unless im making things up but she mumbles in that lil scratchy kinda voice budgies have!

 

[MaraWentz]

Remington is a GW and 15 years old, here is a list of what he says
hello
hello there
give me a kiss(kiss sounds too)
knock it off, you hear me
get in there
no, no, no
i see you
come here
good morning
what's up

that's all I can think of right now~ he does sing a song, but I can't tell yet what it is!

Get in there? Lol just a bit suspicous jk

 

[horsesculpter]

Sunny is four and has a vocabulary of about 200 words and phrases,. She speaks mostly in phrases and has made her own short sentences on occasion. As I understand it this is pretty good for a macaw. She is a rehome and came with a lot of this vocabulary, so I don't know when she began to speak. I think a lot of her speaking ability came from the fact that she spent a year in a corner backyard on a school bus stop. She loves children and I think she was very motivated to communicate with them so she learned to talk to them. I believe motivation has a lot to do with it and having two possibly might not give them as much desire to talk to you when they have each other to communicate with. Speech training with rewards may give them incentive.

 

[horsesculpter]

I should add that Sunny can speak very clearly as she has fooled me many times, but she usually doesn't. I don't think she needs too anymore as we probably understand her now to the point where she gets her needs met with minimum effort. Again motivation.