Teach Your Bird To Talk

antoinette · Oct 27, 2010

A few members are eager to teach their birds to talk, and have approached me. This method worked for Mishka and myself, hopefully it will work for you and your birds.

I am by no means an expert, you don't have to be, to teach a bird to talk

It's so easy to teach your bird to talk

Start off saying simple words

hello love you Mishka (your birds name) bye bye

Continue saying this to the bird daily, along with your everyday conversation, they listen to EVERYTHING we say, and have the ability to learn all the time.

Talk to your bird, saying who does Mishka love? Mishka loves Sean
Ask the question and answer it as well in the beginning, saying it along with the bird. You will be surprised how quickly they catch on.

When ever you are near the bird, even in another room, talk all the time, telling the bird what you are doing.

I started of telling Mishka water, whenever I turned a tap on, when turning on a tap now, she says to me mommy water.

Keep a file with the words you are teaching the bird, add the new ones on each time. Carefully selecting words and sentences, which will create an amazing vocabulary for your bird.

It took Mishka about a month to learn to say I want to go to the bathroom to poopie

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGHStngKnbg"]Talking African Grey Parrot "MISHKA" BRILLIANTLY PUTTING WORDS TOGETHER - YouTube[/ame]

Talk talk and keep talking

Good luck

scarperchick · Oct 27, 2010

Re: Training your bird to talk

thanks hun this is most helpful

Birdieboy · Oct 27, 2010

Re: Training your bird to talk

You probably new it would come soon.LOL My first question. Since I have two birds should I give one to live with my brothers parakeet whil I teach the other one to talk or can they learn together? Also Neither of my birds will come and sit with me they both fly back to there cage when I try to take them out or even do get them out. Do they need to be hand tame Like you said they should come sit on my lap. The problemis they won't come sit on my lap?

Thanks for the thread by the way LOL.

antoinette · Oct 27, 2010

Re: Training your bird to talk

Birdieboy said:
You probably new it would come soon.LOL My first question. Since I have two birds should I give one to live with my brothers parakeet whil I teach the other one to talk or can they learn together? Also Neither of my birds will come and sit with me they both fly back to there cage when I try to take them out or even do get them out. Do they need to be hand tame Like you said they should come sit on my lap. The problemis they won't come sit on my lap? Thanks for the thread by the way LOL.

Jeremy there is no need to make any drastic changes, keep both your birds living with you. I have never trained more than one bird at a time, I think one on one would be best. However, seeing that they won't come out the cage and sit on your lap, you have no other choice but to sit near the cage and start teaching them together. Keep in mind this could take ages, yet it might have an advantage, if one bird starts talking, the other one could learn from him.
Start off as I suggested, choosing simple words. Keep repeating them to the birds. Burn then into a cd, and keep saying them, together with the cd playing.
Give it a go, start off slowly, and see how it goes.

In your thread I can't decide, I posted a link, pertaining to parakeets, their diet, their upkeep and training. Great info there, I suggest you
read and learn from there as well.

You get stuck, just ask

Good luck

Birdieboy · Oct 27, 2010

Re: Training your bird to talk

I did it.
I have been trying for a while to get at least one of my two petsmart parakeets to step up. I decided just earlier that I would move one (charlie) to my brothers parakeets bird cage( in a different room). As soon as I had moved him I went back and worked with Kindle for less than five minutes and he steps up now. It is a little shaky but he steps up. The only problem is when I give him the treat he takes it but runs back to his cage to eat it. I want him to eat it on my hand cause then he associates the treat with my hand intsead of the treat with the cage? Can someone help me? I am excited.

antoinette · Oct 27, 2010

Re: Training your bird to talk

one Jeremy, at least he stepped up and came out. When he comes out, take him quite a distance away from the cage, making it harder for him to get back. Instead of always giving him a treat, perhaps try praising him. Make a big deal of it, scratch his head, telling him what a good boy he is. The longer he stays out the cage, the better it will be, eventually getting him to sit on your lap. Keep repeating this for a couple of days, let him feel comfortable. Take things slowly, remember this is new to him, you want to take a step further, not backwards.

Birdieboy · Oct 30, 2010

Re: Training your bird to talk

I think that sounds good. The training I am doing is going good. Thanks for the info.

antoinette · Oct 31, 2010

Re: Training your bird to talk

Birdieboy said:
I think that sounds good. The training I am doing is going good. Thanks for the info.

What kind of training are you doing?
Have you began with each bird individually?

HRH Di · Oct 31, 2010

Re: Training your bird to talk

Ant - that's hysterical!!!

I whisper "I love you" and "Sweet Ruby" into Ruby's ear every day. She's picking up new whistles quite quickly now and she says "Hi" and "Wow" and sounds just like Jade does.

antoinette · Nov 1, 2010

Re: Training your bird to talk

HRH Di said:
Ant - that's hysterical!!!

I whisper "I love you" and "Sweet Ruby" into Ruby's ear every day. She's picking up new whistles quite quickly now and she says "Hi" and "Wow" and sounds just like Jade does.

That's great, just keep talking and talking and talking.

Remember they hear, and absorb each and every word, never forgetting them. Even though they might not say the words yet, they are familiar with them already.
There have been times, where I have said certain things to Mishka, weeks later, she suddenly starts saying them.
Keep up the great work, soon you will have a chatterbox to entertain you 24/7

Birdieboy · Nov 1, 2010

Re: Training your bird to talk

The training I am doing is trust. I think. I am bringing my birds cage over to my bed and sticking my hand in while I read a book. After that I give them treats in the cage and pet there feet,under belly,and back of there wings.

antoinette · Nov 1, 2010

Re: Training your bird to talk

Jeremy that is great to hear, sounds like a bonding process is beginning.
Try take one bird out at a time, stepping up, and just spending quality time with each of them. I would certainly work on the trust issue, rather than teaching them to talk at this stage. Take things slowly, and I am sure you will notice a change, where they will eventually come out willingly, and spend longer periods outside the cage.
Please keep us updated okay, AND I AM PROUD OF YOU !!!!!!

antoinette · Nov 1, 2010

Re: Training your bird to talk

HOW TO MAKE A RECORDING, AND BURN IT ONTO A CD

This is the procedure I use when making a cd for Mishka

I know it looks and sounds so complicated, it really is so simple, just follow step by step. Make sure you have a cd in the a cd drive. use a re-writable one, saves lots of money.
I use the voice recorder to record whatever I am teaching Mishka to say
Most computers and laptops, should have a voice recorder, make sure that the mike on on, if it does not have a built in mike.
Record whatever it is you are teaching your bird, save it, giving the file a name.
EG hello.wma it should automatically be saved in Documents.
Go into Documents, click on the file hello.wma, first left click, then right click scroll down to add to Windows Media Player and left click.
You will go straight into Windows Media Player.
Wait until your recording starts to play, then click into Library button, second one from the top left hand side.
Look at the right hand side of your screen, look in the big block, it should read Edit now Playing, click on Edit Now Playing.
The file hello will appear. Just above that click into Now Playing.
Scroll down to Save Playlist As and click on it.
A little box will appear on the left hand side of your screen file name
Click on the Playlist1.wpl.
Delete the word Playlist, leaving .wpl then type in hello.wpl
Two buttons on the right hand side, click on save
On the top right hand side under "Playlists" your file will be below.
Click on your file name hello, then click on the button at the top Burn
Wait for the cd to finish burning and remove.

Play if for your bird, sitting and saying it along at first. Leave it playing for the bird, for a few minutes. Switch off, and say the words to your bird, Keep repeating this, daily. At night sit alone with your bird on your lap, if you are able to, and repeat the words.
Good luck

SharonC · Nov 1, 2010

Re: Training your bird to talk

Thanks so much! It looks complicated, but I'll give it a shot!

antoinette · Nov 1, 2010

Re: Training your bird to talk

SharonC said:
Thanks so much! It looks complicated, but I'll give it a shot!

Honestly it is really simple, if i can do it anyone can.
Copy and print it, follow step by step, sure all will go well.
Any problems, just give a shout (softly)

Ecclipse · Nov 2, 2010

Re: Training your bird to talk

Hi Birdieboy - Ant is right. You need to strentghen the bond between you and your birds before you can think of focusing on them talking. Once you gain experience in taming and bonding you can then use that bond to get your birds talking away. Good luck!

antoinette · Dec 4, 2010

Re: Training your bird to talk

I want to share with you all the way Mishka practices something she is trying to say.

I was telling Steven the other day, go wash you car with water, it's dirty man.

Mishka heard the word car (loves cars) and immediately started saying car this and car that.
I have not made a cd, saying any of the words ...................................................
Go wash you car with water, it's dirty man.
In the video below, she is trying to put different words together using car wash water

I will take another video in about a week's time, and we will see what progress Mishka has made.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK-2YFaaHFw]YouTube - TALKING AFRICAN GREY MISHKA TRYING TO SAY GO WASH YOUR CAR[/ame]

Cowtown · Dec 5, 2010

Re: Training your bird to talk

She so darn smart.... I am so proud of Mishka... You can tell she loves to learn new words.. and then how she puts sentences together... you can not tell me that parrots just mimic what they hears...

I still say you need to do a training video...

Me...

antoinette · Dec 5, 2010

Re: Training your bird to talk

Cowtown said:
She so darn smart.... I am so proud of Mishka... You can tell she loves to learn new words.. and then how she puts sentences together... you can not tell me that parrots just mimic what they hears...

I still say you need to do a training video...

Me...

Yipe Mishka loves mixing and matching words together, and surprisingly they make sense most of the time. I am fortunate that she loves talking and talking nonstop.
Perhaps one day we will do a training video.......you never know

antoinette · Dec 5, 2010

Re: Training your bird to talk

Mike you quoted
You can not tell me that parrots just mimic what they hear...

You are absolutely right

Below is a video where Mishka is asked a question and replies correctly.
Watch carefully how she "thinks" before answering

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5hCJnnbJOI]YouTube - TALKING AFRICAN GREY MISHKA[/ame]

Teach Your Bird To Talk

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