Can Parakeets Talk? How To Teach Tips & Tricks

by jay | Updated on November 13th, 2022

If you’ve recently become the proud owner of a budgie, you’ve undoubtedly wondered, “Can parakeets talk?”

Many people are surprised to learn that little budgies, often known as budgerigars or simply parakeets, can communicate as well as, if not better than, bigger parrot species.

Parakeets can imitate human speech by repeating words and copying their owner’s voice. Even though it can take a while for them to learn to communicate, some parakeets have been known to memorize hundreds of words.

It might be difficult to understand what budgies are saying at times, but people who maintain and care for them typically find them to be chatterboxes.

This post will cover everything you’ve ever wanted to know about parakeet noises and how to train them to talk.

Can parakeets talk?

Parakeets can communicate, but they usually do it with one another if you didn’t receive your budgie while younger than a year old, you might not be able to educate it to converse in human terms.

This occurs because parakeets have an imprinting process that begins when they are young and disappears as they age. Female parakeets are less likely than males to learn to communicate, and males are noisier than females.

Regarding how much they speak with each other and their human partners, parakeets are extremely vocal, as they should be, given their social nature.

Parakeets create several budgie noises, each of which has a particular meaning.

They’re considered incredibly talkative, and if you had a pair of parakeets, you’d continuously hear budgies chirping in your house.

How do parakeets communicate?

Talking noises made by parakeets are not the same as human sounds. In reality, the anatomy of a parakeet prevents them from pronouncing words as humans do.

They cannot create noises using their larynx like humans because they lack vocal cords.

Instead, the noises are produced by the parakeet’s beak and airways. They do this when copying the noises and language we’re teaching them and when communicating with their partner or other birds.

Although there is a belief that budgies are intelligent since they can readily pick up the language, the fact is that they are merely copying human noises.

They are unable to comprehend the meaning of the words.

On the other hand, a well-trained budgie will repeat the phrases and noises made by its pet parent and may even be taught to replicate them using triggers such as a hand gesture.

Gender and age

At an early age, the brain is more responsive and malleable. Invest in a young parakeet while it is still learning how to communicate. 

The gender of the parakeet also influences its ability to communicate. The males will converse more than the ladies.

Compared to their female counterparts, males are more likely to learn to talk faster and more easily.

This might be because they need to attract the attention of females for reproductive purposes.

As a result, it is preferable to dedicate your time and energy to training a young boy rather than a young female.

How to identify parakeets’ gender

While female parakeets’ cere—raised fleshy skin above their nostrils—is white, pink, or pale blue, changing to a deeper tan or brownish hue when fertile, male parakeets’ cere is a vivid purple, changing to royal or bright blue when budgies are ready to mate.

Check out our full article on how to identify parakeets’ gender.

Males are more likely than females to talk

Do parakeets differ in how much they communicate depending on their gender? They do, indeed. Males tend to produce more parrot noises than females and may also learn to converse far more easily and quickly.

However, this occurs in various bird species, not parakeets. Male cockatiels, for example, are more chatty than female cockatiels. This is most likely because males need to catch the attention of females to reproduce.

So, if you want to educate your parakeet to talk, buying a young male rather than a young female is best. If you don’t want to deal with the difficulty of training a parakeet, you may buy one from a breeder who has already taught them how to communicate.

Common sounds made by parakeets

If you become a budgie parent, you will hear various parakeet noises in your house. To understand the basic parakeet noises, you should consider learning how to distinguish between them.

This is significant because a happy and healthy parakeet produces certain noises, but an unhappy or terrified one makes others. Here are the most frequent ones you’ll encounter.

• Talking – Parakeets communicate with one another using various noises, including chirps, contact calls, chatter, trills, and more.
• Whistling is a sound made by a parakeet to convey contentment. Some parakeet owners teach their birds to whistle along with them or after music.
• Screaming is an unusual sound that might imply pain, despair, or even terror.
• Singing — When parakeets are in a happy mood, it is typical to hear them sing. They can, however, create other noises, such as chattering when they are disturbed or grinding their beaks as they prepare to sleep.

Hearing your parakeets chirp is also typical, indicating that your budgies are content.

Clicks are another sort of bird noise that is fairly prevalent and indicates that the budgerigars are pleased.

Beaks of Parakeets

Beak behavior can reveal a variety of information. Learn what conduct is typical and what might cause concern.

Chewing

Parakeets are voracious chewers. They enjoy chewing on paper, softwood, and toys. This isn’t a concern until dangerous objects, such as poisoned meals, dangerous toys, or home plants, are within chewing reach. Encourage your bird to chew by giving it objects that are safe for it to chew on.

Grinding of the Beak

While human teeth grinding is a cause for worry, beak grinding is not. Before going to sleep, parakeets grind their beaks. It is a sign of security. They are happy and are not causing themselves any damage by doing so. You may occasionally hear little grinding noises coming from your bird’s beak.

Regurgitating

Food regurgitation is a symbol of affection. Birds will do this to express their affection for each other, their owner, or a favorite toy. Encourage your bird not to regurgitate for you since this may result in undesired breeding habits. Contact your veterinarian if your bird is ill and not exhibiting affection.

Biting

When frightened, terrified, protective, or cornered, parakeets will bite. When it comes to guarding their eggs or partner, parakeets become territorial. They may also feel intimidated by strangers or pets, prompting them to bite. It is possible to train a pet parakeet not to bite. Because biting can potentially signify a health problem, be sure your bird is in good health before teaching or ignoring the behavior.

Feathers of a parakeet

Feathers are being plucked

Parakeets that have plucked their feathers are expressing an issue. Patches or your bird chewing on its feathers might indicate boredom, skin issues, allergies, or diseases. If you see any of these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

Loss of Feathers (Molting)

Parakeets will shed their feathers once or twice a year to replace old ones. This will happen gradually and organically, not in spurts. More feathers will be found on the bottom of their habitats, and pinfeathers will emerge between their current feathers. Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Egg-cite Parakeet Food has enough protein to support your bird through molting.

Flapping Wings

Birds will attempt to communicate with their owners by fluttering their wings. When a parakeet stands on its perch and flaps its wings, it is also a sign of contentment.

Sleeping Habits of Parakeets

Position for sleeping

A parakeet’s sleeping position should be with its head curled under its neck or resting on its back. They’ll be standing on one foot with the other tucked under their tummy.

Please keep in mind that each bird is unique. Some actions may suggest something other than the norm. It is critical to keep your bird safe and healthy by checking out for unusual behavior and taking it to the doctor regularly.

Talking parakeet varieties

It’s impossible to predict which parakeets will learn to communicate as they grow. Male parakeets, in particular, are simpler to educate than females. If you get a male parakeet, there is a strong possibility your bird will communicate, but each parakeet is unique and may not want to learn.

The easiest approach to get a talking parakeet is to get it from a prior owner who has already trained his parrot to talk. Although this may take some of the joy out of training your parakeet, you will be certain of having a parrot capable of learning words and phrases.

The possibility of a young male parrot learning to speak is determined by how much time you are prepared to train him. It is critical to speak to your parakeet daily and leave the television or music on while you leave the house.

Other parakeets that may learn to talk include:

• The Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus). They are not the finest communicators, but they can pick up some information.
• Rosellas are females (genus Platycercus). Limited communication ability, but will occasionally pick up whistles and phrases.
• Polytelis is a genus (the superb, regent, and princess parakeets). They are not the most common species in the trade, but they are excellent communicators!
• Parakeet with lineolation (Bolborhynchus lineola). Yes, they do, and they have great quiet voices.
• Parakeets Brotogeris They attempt, but their voices are harsh and muddled!

How parakeets communicate

The sound of a well-trained parakeet saying “good morning” may be barely perceptible to a human, but parakeets do not communicate in the same manner that people do. The vocal cords of parakeets are absent. Instead, individuals talk by guiding airflow via the muscles in their neck, imitating the pitches and noises they hear in everyday life.

Although parakeets are considered intellectual birds because they can communicate, they replicate things they have already heard and have no idea what these phrases signify.

A well-trained parakeet may be taught to utter certain sounds or sentences in response to a hand movement or voice signal. Parakeets do not have conversations and can only repeat a few noises or sentences.

How do you train a parakeet to speak?

Make certain that your parakeet is content

Before you begin talking training, be certain that your pet bird is both healthy and happy. If your budgie’s cage is too small, he isn’t receiving enough food, or he has a medical condition impacting his health, he will be unwilling to learn anything new.

A cheerful budgie exhibits various behaviors, including a high activity level and frequent vocalizations. It’s not uncommon for pet bird owners to hear a parakeet singing now and then. Budgies who live as a couple are often happier than those who are adopted or bought alone. 

If you find your pet parakeet is sluggish, doesn’t appear to want to connect with anybody, or develops bad-looking feathers, it’s time to take him to the doctor, not teach him to talk. A sick budgie cannot concentrate on the learning process in the first place.

Bonding

Parakeets, like other animals, are more likely to communicate if they have a pet-to-human link. 

You must communicate with them if you want them to speak. Ask them questions and repeat words you want them to remember.

Developing a trusting and emotional attachment with your pet bird is also essential for it to learn new phrases. Parakeets are gregarious birds. To learn a new language, they must feel the urge to speak with you, which requires you to establish a friendly relationship with them.

Allow them plenty of time each day for talking, singing, and playing with toys. Once your budgie is comfortable with you, you may let it out of its cage.

The time of day is critical

When speaking birds are trained early in the morning, they acquire new words much faster and more efficiently. This occurs because their brains are well-rested after sleeping through the night, allowing the knowledge to be memorized more easily.

Parakeets are also known to have a lot of energy in the morning, to be attentive, and to think clearly. Although it is critical that you mingle with your budgie throughout the day, especially if they do not have a pair, doing it first thing in the morning will promote a smoother learning process.

Allow your parakeet to have their first meal of the day before beginning voice training. A well-fed pet bird is significantly more susceptible to learning new things, whether tricks or new phrases, than one with nothing in its stomach.

Simple words should be repeated

Some sounds made by birds can be mistaken for human speech, but every learning process has limitations. Some birds cannot learn how to speak complex sentences because they lack vocal cords.

As a result, you should address your budgie as if they were a small child. Identify the items in your parakeet’s living surroundings. Furthermore, every time you come and depart, say ‘Hello’ and ‘Goodbye’ to your budgie.

If you want your pet parakeet to remember its name, it should be simple and resonant. Try to choose names with few syllables that are both short and easy to pronounce.

You may also train your budgie to say “Thank you” by saying it every time you give him a treat or a special dish of parakeet bird food.

Taking it one word at a time

Do budgies speak in whole sentences? Regrettably, they do not. It is best to start with one important word you want your parakeet to learn and then add several more to the list.

On average, parakeets do better when acquiring consonants such as d, k, p, t, or b. A statement with many vowels might be difficult for the bird to memorize.

Speak properly to your budgie, and repeat the terms you wish to teach them several times. Pet birds, like people and other animals, might become confused if you try to teach them too many words or phrases at once.

You should strive to teach your pet budgie one basic phrase over seven to eight weeks. Once the bird appears to have learned it, you may shift your attention to another, and then another, and so on.

Make use of treats

You’ve undoubtedly become accustomed to the variety of parakeet noises they make when they receive a treat for being nice. But did you realize that rewards are crucial in teaching your budgie to talk?

You should treat your pet bird whenever it appears to be making substantial improvement, generally with a piece of fruit or a new toy. This approach can reinforce the budgie’s behavior by telling the parakeet that a treat is due if they perform well and pronounce the word.

Millet sprays are a tasty treat for the learning skills you will use, but carrots and celery are other options. The latter is very beneficial because it is low in sugar and provides critical nutrients to your pet bird.

If your parakeet enjoys getting out of his cage and exploring the rest of the room, you can let him out as a treat instead.

Create a routine

When it comes to training your parakeet to talk, consistency is essential. If you don’t have a plan and adhere to the same schedule as much as possible, your pet bird may become confused or forget the phrases you’ve taught them.

Teaching a parakeet a word or several requires time, effort, and dedication, so make sure you devote time to your teaching duty every morning.

When certain birds detect that you’re pleased with how they’re doing, they’ll produce a variety of happy parakeet noises.

You must also be patient enough. Furthermore, if you have a pet parakeet older than one-year-old, it may take you longer to teach it how to speak words. Maintain reasonable expectations, but don’t give up trying, even if some budgies never learn to communicate.

React to activities

Interacting with the budgie all the time is an important element of learning how to train a parakeet to communicate. Some behaviors are simpler to understand than others.

For example, after having your pet parakeet, you may be able to determine if they need to go to the toilet, wants to go to bed, or needs a snack.

Instead of just ensuring that your parakeet’s requirements are met, talk to your budgie when you see that anything needs to be addressed. If you notice your budgie is asleep, chat with the bird while covering the cage with a cloth.

If you realize your parakeet is hungry, chat with it while giving it a snack or a bowl of food. Can you teach parakeets to communicate if they are uncomfortable around you? No.

So making your budgie feel at ease by continually chatting with it is the greatest option.

Distractions should be avoided

Cover the edges of your bird’s cage with a towel during lessons to allow it to concentrate. While instructing, stand in front of the cage and face your budgie directly, so it understands you’re talking to it. Also, keep your training sessions to 30 minutes or less to prevent straining or boring your bird.

FAQ

How long does it take a parakeet to communicate?

Getting your parrot to talk might take several weeks to two months or more. Some budgies can acquire a new word in six months, but once they do, teaching them others becomes much easier.

Do the parakeets comprehend what you’re saying?

When you speak, a talking parakeet can understand what you’re saying, but it’s more about tone and how you deliver the words than the content itself. Some budgies, for example, can comprehend when you tell them you love them based on your tone.

Do parakeets enjoy listening to music?

Budgies prefer music that is calm, quiet, and soothing. They are known to dislike listening to loud music. Hence the type they prefer is mild classical.

Can parakeets learn to recognize their names?

Teaching your pet bird its name might be the first step in parakeet talking training. They, like cats and dogs, can learn their names.

Is it possible for parakeets to identify their owners?

Budgies that have been properly tamed and taught can recognize their owners. For this reason, it’s fairly uncommon to hear parakeets singing when their pet parent returns home from work.

Do parakeets enjoy watching television?

Yes, and it’s critical to allow children to watch TV so they may learn new terms. If you only have one parakeet, leaving the television on is a smart idea since it will keep it company.

Can female parakeets communicate?

Female parakeets may produce the same budgie sounds as males, but they learn words slower. Some people never learn to talk, although younger girls have a better chance.

Why are parakeets referred to as budgies?

In the United States, it is customary to refer to parakeets as parakeets. Budgie is a more prevalent name among bird enthusiasts and individuals in nations other than the United States. “Parakeet” is a colloquial nickname for a parrot, but “budgie” is a shortened form of “budgerigar,” which is the scientific name for a parakeet.

jay

I am not an expert, just passionate. I own a Parakeet and I have been in your shoes. If you are currently looking for information, I've done the research and that is the reason why I created this website.