parrots

[leemaj]

are parrots the only animals that can replicate human speech?

[mojo]

osama bin laden could replicate it somewhat, but he doesn't have anything interesting to say

[chrissy]

other birds can too. Also they keep showing a dog on Animal planet that can talk somewhat.

[Memo]

Originally posted by chrissy
other birds can too. Also they keep showing a dog on Animal planet that can talk somewhat.

Wishbone? :P

[chrissy]

No, silly. Wishbone is on PBS!

hehe

This dog is a collie/aussie/something else type mutt and it can say "I love you" and a couple other things.

[Luxykin007]

there is one called a McCaw or something like that that will hook it up. I am not sure of all the types, but I know that there a a few.

[molecularfire]

I think you're referring to a mayan bird (I'm not sure about the spelling so if I'm wrong, someone please correct me). I'm pretty sure that they can replicate human speech (better than parrots, and can learn more words).

[leemaj]

can parrots talk to each other in human talk?

[Windsor]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the parrot doesn't really know the meaning of what its saying. It seems like they just know the reactions, like if they say "cracker" they get food. Much like, "if I bite that tail, the stupid dog will wake up and try to fly and catch me" type of thing. It'd be amazing if they understood the language, tho.

[Anck Su Namun]

Originally posted by DarkFury

I think it's more "mimicry" than actual language.



Untrue. While some of it is mimicry, they can use words in context. When I tell my bird to do something she goes "ok" in response. She is a smaller bird though so isn't as capable of it.
Bigger birds like amazons and african greys have the intelligence of a 5 year old child. I have heard stories of these birds making noises of a phone ringing, microwave, etc. and then laughing when the person responds to it. Also there was one story of an amazon parrot living with a dog, and when the dog attacked it it said "don't bite me!" haha. Then when the woman went to pick the bird up (it was hiding in a trash can) it said "oh boy." I never realized how smart these birds are until after I got mine I researched it. I have never heard of them communicating with eachother in english though haha.

[Anck Su Namun]

Originally posted by DarkFury

All in all, I still think it is more "conditioning" rather than "communication".

Well yes it is learned behavior, but they are very intelligent. They can learn how to use words. Maybe not carry on an actual conversation, but they are the only animal that comes close. An african grey parrot can learn an average of 1000 words.

[leemaj]

Originally posted by Anck Su Namun


Well yes it is learned behavior, but they are very intelligent. They can learn how to use words. Maybe not carry on an actual conversation, but they are the only animal that comes close. An african grey parrot can learn an average of 1000 words.


that is truly amazing, considering the size of their brains, and that of a 5 year old child.

[Anck Su Namun]

Originally posted by leemaj



that is truly amazing, considering the size of their brains, and that of a 5 year old child.
I didn't say they had the brain size of a 5 year old child. I said they have the intelligence of a 5 year old child. It's not the same thing.

[BrewMaster]

myna birds can also talk. they are small, black, tropical birds with yellow beaks. my aunt used to have one and that thing would go on and on all day. she would would talk smack about the dog and repeat just about anything people said. she would bust out the most random things and had a knack for saying the most inappropriate things at the most inappropriate times.

[Anck Su Namun]

Originally posted by BrewMaster
myna birds can also talk. they are small, black, tropical birds with yellow beaks. my aunt used to have one and that thing would go on and on all day. she would would talk smack about the dog and repeat just about anything people said. she would bust out the most random things and had a knack for saying the most inappropriate things at the most inappropriate times.


Yeah they tend to pick up things that are emphasized, which is why they pick up cuss words so easily.

[BrewMaster]

Originally posted by Anck Su Namun



Yeah they tend to pick up things that are emphasized, which is why they pick up cuss words so easily.
that explains how she picked up the dog's name and how to call the dog. the dog's name was Penny. the myna bird would always squak out "come here Penny!" and confuse the sh1t outta the dog. it was awesome!

[Anck Su Namun]

Originally posted by BrewMaster

that explains how she picked up the dog's name and how to call the dog. the dog's name was Penny. the myna bird would always squak out "come here Penny!" and confuse the sh1t outta the dog. it was awesome! :laugh:
I am always yelling at my dogs "stop it!" when they act badly, and when they start to act up now Maggie (my little conure parrot) yells "stop it!" at them haha.
Also, there is this couple in my church who found an african grey and it meowed like a cat. They found the bird's owner though.

[Anck Su Namun]

Originally posted by DarkFury

Learning to use words... comes by conditioning.

Carrying on a conversation... is communication.

See the difference? That's all I was trying to point out. (I think we are saying the same thing and going in the same direction, but we are just on opposite sides of the circle.)

No I am not disagreeing with you, but I just think a lot of people don't realize how intelligent parrots are. I know I didn't until I got one and really learned about them.

I used to think they were boring creatures that would just be happy to sit in a cage all day and do nothing, but it's the exact opposite. They are smarter than other animals and need a lot more attention.

Maggie wants out right now and is making loud kissing noises at me...

Also, I think that by learning the words they are trying to communicate, because they consider people part of their flock. Maggie is always listening to what I say and responding to it in some way. So while it is conditioning they are trying their best to communicate. And of all animals I think they come the closest.

[molecularfire]

Intelligence of a 5 yr. old huh... wow. Those birds are smarter than most of the people from my high school. :P

[Grimm]

Originally posted by DarkFury

I think it's more "mimicry" than actual language.

That's how childern learn to talk too.
I used to think the same as you do about them, but I learned different. Here is a link to a study (http://www.mecca.org/~rporter/PARROTS/grey_al.html) done on the subject. They are pretty smart animals.

[Kevster]

My neighbor has an African Parrot and it learns new sounds rather quickly. There is another neighbor right in between the Parrot neighbor and my apartment. Well, the neighbor in between is this hot stripper (why I am moving I don't know) and she is quite loud when she's going at it with one of her male friends. :lick:

Apparently the parrot has been listening because it now makes moaning sounds just like my stripper neighbor. :laugh: The last time she was pretty loud was about 2 days ago and the parrot wouldn't shut up for about 3 hours afterward - his owner was going nuts trying to get him to stop. My wife and I just couldn't stop laughing.

Sometimes the truth is stanger than fiction...

Kevster

[Anck Su Namun]

Originally posted by Kevster
My neighbor has an African Parrot and it learns new sounds rather quickly. There is another neighbor right in between the Parrot neighbor and my apartment. Well, the neighbor in between is this hot stripper (why I am moving I don't know) and she is quite loud when she's going at it with one of her male friends. :lick:

Apparently the parrot has been listening because it now makes moaning sounds just like my stripper neighbor. :laugh: The last time she was pretty loud was about 2 days ago and the parrot wouldn't shut up for about 3 hours afterward - his owner was going nuts trying to get him to stop. My wife and I just couldn't stop laughing.

Sometimes the truth is stanger than fiction...

Kevster

:laugh: :heh: :laugh:

[Kevster]

She was at it again last night...

and the parrot started up right away!

I'm going to have to record this and post it for our listening audience because I just can't make this stuff up...

Kevster

[Grimm]

Originally posted by DarkFury

Like I said, I see your points, but just because parrots have the ability to mimic sounds and higher learning capacity than most other animals, I don't think that they will actually make it to the level of conversing with humans.
Thanks for ignoring the scientific studies that disagree with your opinion. I really only found one to improve my health. :rolleyes: Dude, read the studies or accept the input from those of us who have read them or have direct experience. An adult African Grey has the comprehension of a 5-year-old child. They can grasp concepts that most other animals cannot. They can use the learned speech to communicate to a limited extent with their owners. Check out the link I posted.

[molecularfire]

She was at it again last night...

and the parrot started up right away!

I'm going to have to record this and post it for our listening audience because I just can't make this stuff up...

Kevster
Man... she is definitely overstepping her bounds as a good neighbor. I'll help you take care of the problem. Just give me her name, number, address, and a pic. I'll go down there and take care of her Uh... I mean of the problem. (j/k) :P