Whistling before talking a no-no?

Wulfgeist · May 20, 2012

So in all these books I've been reading there seems to be a mixed theory about teaching to whistle before talking. I've been teaching Jasper some whistles and he picks up on them pretty quick. When I took the birds the other day to have their nails done I mentioned this and was told absolutely don't teach him to whistle because he will never talk.

Tico's never learned to talk but that's probably because I never really sat and tried to get him to and I'm a bit of a mush-mouth anyhow.

So I was curious about everyone else's opinions/experiences.

Spiritbird · May 20, 2012

I did teach Rosie to whistle first because she seem to take so long to say words. She does seem to whistle more than talk. I would say go for the words first.

pacoparrot · Jun 9, 2012

I have a dvd that proves that theory wrong. It's by good bird inc. Plus my eclectus parrot can whistle and talk and will do both in the same sentence.

"Who's a pretty bird? *wolf whistle*" -Echo Eclectus

antoinette · Jun 9, 2012

Birds will choose what they want to do, not matter how much training, whether in talking or whistling UNLESS you only teach the bird only one of them, either to talk OR to whistle.
My first bird, got him when he was 6 years old (he spoke a black language) was taught to whistle first then to talk. He began talking in English absolutely perfectly after the first year, (in sentences). He whistled superbly.
My second bird first learnt to talk then to whistle, she began whistling first then talking, unfortunately she died of a stroke at 13 months old.

Mishka was spoken to and whistled at from 6 weeks old. He first began saying words, along with whistling. I am very fortunate that Mishka prefers talking, to whistling, even playing.
Just like a human child, some prefer to crawl before walking, other begin walking eliminating the crawling at all.

PortaPerch · Jun 9, 2012

Greybeard does a great wolf whistle. I taught him to follow it with:
"Hubba hubba, ding ding;
Baby, you got everything!"

That's from a WWII movie.

Oedipussrex · Jun 9, 2012

not going to help much with the initial question.
but once we realised our cockatiel was a girl, and she wasnt showing any progress with words we taught her to wolf whistle, and even with all that whistling in the house pickle our ekkie has never whistled. even when he would mimic the sound he just got the tone right, but made it in his talking voice, like a loud/tuned coo-ing sound.

Whistling before talking a no-no?

Wulfgeist

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pacoparrot

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