Conference 7.286::pet_birds

663.0. "NEED ADVICE ON SPEECH TRAINING" by JUPITR::BENNETT () Fri Feb 14 1992 00:57

    I could use some advice from anyone who has had success teaching birds
    to talk.
    
    The bird I would like to train is a female cockatiel. She was about six
    months old when I purchased her and is now three years old. I tried
    working with her when she was younger but found that I didn't have the
    time to train her consistently. Tiara(her name) is very tame,
    affectionate and cuddly, but doesn't seemed inclined to talk. Much of
    this may be due to the fact that, although I handle her a great deal, I
    tend not to be a very vocal person.  Has anyone had any luck using tape
    recordings as training aids? I was thinking of recording phrases
    repetitively to play to her during the day when I'm not home. 
    
    Any advice on this subject would be much appreciated, especially
    first-hand stories. In looking through a great deal of literature on
    pet birds, I was surprised at the lack of information on the subject
    of speech training. Some of the information I did find was
    contradictory. Perhaps some of you experts out there could shed some
    light on the following issues: 
                         
    1) Is age a significant factor in a bird's ability to mimic?
    
    2) Are males more inclined to talk than females?
    
    3) Do cockatiels mimic whistled tunes more easily than words?
    
    Thanks in advance for any advice.
    
    Rich 
    
    
               

    I am by no means an expert, but from what I have read, the answers to
    your questions are:
    
    	1. Age is a factor.  The younger you attempt to train a bird, the
           better.
    
        2. Males cockatiels are more inclined to talk than females.
    
        3. I've read no literature, I know from my cockateils that they
           require virtually no effort at all to teach them whistles.
           I had a grey which I raised from a baby who knew 15 songs and
           various musical phrases, but wouldn't talk at all.
    
    
    However, I currently have a silver male cockatiel that who attempts to talk.
    He tries to say 'pretty boy' and 'that's a good boy'  but his
    pronounciation is not very clear. I didn't try to train him, he just picked
    it up because that's what we say to him all the time.  The lutino female 
    neither talks or whistles, but we talk to her just as much.
    
    Hope this helps.
    
    BJ

    You might also want to check Topic 176.