Can you guess the birds that are easy to train?
I never thought I would end up being a bird person, mostly because I already have three dogs and one cat at home. The change happened this year, more specifically at the end of February, when my hubby surprised me by buying an African Grey Parrot.
I soon discovered that certain pet birds are not only intelligent but also possess a lot of personality. Although I’m by no means a professional trainer, I was amazed by how quickly my dog learned basic tricks after watching some videos on YouTube and attempting to use them. But enough with my story; if you’re interested in birds that are easy to train and looking for some friendly advice regarding this matter, you’re definitely in the right place!
In the following lines, I will discuss some birds that are super sweet and smart, a perfect addition to any home that feels empty without an animal in it.
Cockatoos
If you’re looking for birds that are easy to train, Australian cockatoos are my go-to favorite. They’re known for being lovable, intelligent, and affectionate parrots. These birds develop very close relationships with their owners, and if they start to feel abandoned, they may experience severe emotional distress. They may be prone to insomnia because they tend to be afraid of noises; keep the cage in your bedroom if needed, and make sure the sleeping space is peaceful.
If you want to train your Cockatoo, I suggest starting slowly, by whistling simple tunes to encourage it to start imitating. After every “lesson” that goes good, give your birdie a little treat and praise. It is also important to be consistent, so establish a routine.
However, you will have a remarkable companion bird that picks things up quickly if you can provide the attention and care a cockatoo needs.
Lovebirds
Lovebirds are a curious and intelligent species. They are exceptional cage escape artists due to their aptitude for puzzle solving and rapid learning. However, they don’t have a reputation for being talkative, but if taught early (if possible, in the first 4–5 months after you bring them home), they can pick up some vocalizations.
As with the cockatoo, reward them with treats to encourage them. Start with “step up” and gradually introduce increasingly difficult tricks. If you want to teach a lovebird to talk, you may need to try for a long time because of its stubborn nature.
Furthermore, if you know you’ll be away from home for more than a few hours, make sure you leave them some toys to play with. If not, they will become bored or, worse, depressed.
Macaws
Some of the biggest, most colorful, and popular parrots are the macaws of the South American rainforests, but owning one of these wonderful birds requires a devoted companion with plenty of safe space for flight. Despite their humorous personalities, macaws can be very loving; with the right care, they can live for almost a century. Most of them become very attached to their owners.
While macaws are known for being among birds that are easy to train, it can take up a lot of your time to teach the little fellow tricks and how to talk properly. And of course, a lot of patience. First, I’d say to let the macaw get to know you better, so in the first days, talk to it from outside the cage without trying to touch it. They can be very reluctant if they don’t know the person, and with such a strong beak… heh, I’d advise you to stay away.
After the first week, you can start slowly to try and give your bird toys and try to speak with it as calmly as possible. Choose straightforward phrases like “Hello,” “Good bird,” or their name, and of course, every day, repeat them with enthusiasm and consistency.
Tip: The best talkers are African Greys, but if they are motivated, macaws can pick up as many as 15 to 20 words.
Budgies Parakeets
In a small package, budgerigars, also known as budgies, are incredibly intelligent, trainable, and lovable. Budgies can be trained to perform various entertaining tricks that never fail to impress, in addition to learning to talk as well as larger parrots. However, they do need their owners to be committed to them for the long run. So you cannot run away from consistency!
Compared to the bigger parrots, these tend to be easily distracted, so to meet their attention spans, keep training sessions short (10–15 minutes). Aim for short words and reinforce learning with consistent phrases and actions. Repeating its name multiple times helps, too!
They thrive on social contact, so think about pairing them up.
African Grey Parrots
And here’s my beloved! The African Grey Parrot is adorable, smart, and very docile, and is one of the birds that are easy to train. The equatorial region of Central Africa is home to a single species known as African Grey Parrots or Congo Grey Parrots. Many people believe that these ancient parrots are the smartest birds on the planet.
With their extraordinary memories and profound emotional abilities, these wonderful parrots have astonished everyone, from casual bird owners to university researchers. This is why adopting an African Grey parrot necessitates ensuring that the adopter has ample daily time to socialize with their pet. Since the African Grey Parrot is super smart, it will learn to talk very fast compared to other birds on the list, but you must engage in conversations daily to maximize its “vocabulary.”
When and if they get bored, you can try to teach them to solve puzzles. Go for simpler ones, like the ones for kids over the age of 2, or these block-shaped puzzles available on Amazon for only $12.99. Doing this, you will stimulate your bird’s brain and make it even smarter.
Canaries
The Canary Islands are home to finches known for their beautiful singing voices. These birds, who are typically initially frightened of people, can be trained to relate to you both vocally and physically, up close. These birds can fly around the room, perch on your finger, and then fly back to you.
Amazon Parrots
Numerous bird experts have praised the stunning and amusing Amazon parrots as some of the best orators. Compared to many other species, they appear to speak more clearly and have the capacity to acquire extraordinarily large vocabularies. They are affectionate, outgoing, and require a lot of care from their owners.
Make your speech clear and enthusiastic to get the bird to copy you, and add games to make learning fun.
Quaker Parakeet
Quaker parakeets, sometimes referred to as monk parakeets, are known as excellent beginner birds and are fairly simple to take care of. However, not all places permit them, so make sure to check your local laws.
They learn to talk to people quickly, which makes them easier to teach and train for people who are new to working with birds. Quaker voices are clearer and easier to understand than budgies’, despite their limited vocabulary.
These birds can pick up at least fifty words and phrases, and they even have fun imitating household sounds, like dogs barking! It’s impressive how much they can learn and express!
Hey there! Do you have a pet bird? Can it talk? I’d love to hear about your experience—was it easy to train it? Share your thoughts in the comments!
You may also like to read: The World’s 11 Most Beautiful Birds – Ranked.
