The Skills of Understanding
and Learning in Birds
Of all the talking birds, the African
grey parrot is known to be the most talent-
ed in respect to understanding and learn-
ing. Next come the Amazon parrots, espe-
cially yellow napes, the blue fronts, red
loreds, and the double yellowheads.
Macaws also have vocal learning, but usu-
ally vocalize in a loud and rough manner.
Unlike the macaw, the cockatoo, another
of the parrots with vocal learning, has a
sweet voice. But neither species can be
taught as easily as the African grey parrots
or the Amazons. Mynahs are also known
to be particularly good at speaking. One
mynah, for example, when approached by
a child, can say “Hello.” And if the child
responds with the same greeting, the bird
can ask, “How are you?” Even more inter-
esting, it can continue by asking, “What’s
your name?”
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One of parrots’ striking abilities is
that they can relate their speech to subjects
or movements. For example, a parrot
greeted with “Good morning” every time
the cover is taken off the cage can, one
morning when the cover is removed, say
the phrase of its own accord. You have
probably heard from several
