Parrots are particularly appreciated because of their ability to repeat words spoken by the beings around them, do parrots speak? And Why do parrots talk?
What is a parrot?
First of all, the term “parrot” is a common term that is not found in the specific scientific classification of species. Generally, this term refers to a large family that brings together more than 350 species of birds with colorful plumage, which belong to the order Psittaciformes, as well as parakeets, cockatoos, lorises, and even conures.
Among the common characteristics of “parrots”, we find a large hooked and rounded beak, a large size, bright colors, and a gift for imitating sounds or speech.
Does a parrot really talk?
Concerning this last point, we can wonder if the parrot is endowed with the power of language in the same way as humans. Let’s settle this question straight away: the parrot does not speak, it imitates. Thanks to its particularly keen hearing, the parrot can imitate surrounding sounds to perfection, which makes it a very good “phrase”.
What is impressive is the parrot’s ability to reproduce not only what it hears but also how the sounds are emitted, i.e. intonation and/or voice. They can even reproduce the sounds of other animals, such as the cackling of a chicken, the barking of a dog, or the croaking of a toad. Hello, cacophony within a group of parrots!
Note that the parrot is not the only animal to reproduce any type of sound: the Superb Menure (Menura novaehollandiae), native to Australia, is capable of reproducing any sound, including the most improbable ones such as noise. of a chainsaw. You should therefore think twice before being around this lyrebird.
How does the parrot imitate surrounding sounds?
Lacking a vocal cord, the parrot has a speaking organ located in its thorax, under the trachea: this is the syrinx, composed of membranes vibrating in front of butterflies which serve as a resonance box, developed muscles, a pessulus (a cartilaginous bar) as well as first-rank bronchial rings and last-rank tracheal rings.
The sounds that we hear coming from the parrot are the result of vibrations of the membranes, modulated via the beak, the tongue (flexible and very mobile), or the larynx. Additionally, the parrot brain is home to seven nuclei specialized in vocal learning.
What is the parrot’s cry?
It is therefore difficult to define the cry of the parrot. Generally, and according to the Bird Protection League, the parrot is said to chatter, crack, chatter, speak, chirp, or whistle.
Talking parrot: who are the “best talkers”?
Certain species of parrots are known for imitating human language with particular talent: the best of these is the Gaboon Grey, also known as the African grey Parrot. The Eclectus, as well as the parrots of the Amazona genus, notably the Yellow-naped Amazon, the Yellow-fronted Amazon, and the Blue-fronted Amazon, are also particularly gifted.
Problem: the parrot is a victim of its success. Many Psittacids are becoming increasingly rare in the wild, and protected species are still targeted by illegal captures or egg trafficking. In addition, almost 1 in 3 species of parrots are in danger of extinction, according to a study published in April 2020 in the journal Global Change Biology, mainly due to the disruption of their natural habitats.
SOURCE: African Grey Parrot Pet
