Reptile & Amphibian Forums

we have a medium sulfur crested cockatoo. we've had it for about 3-4 years now. when we first got him/her, the parrot picked up a few words, calls our dog, barks like our dog and says it's own name. but the parrot hasn't learned anything new now for a long time. do they stop learning new things at a certain age? i say good morning to him/her every day hoping that the bird would say it, but it's not happening.

Parrots learn by being intertained, are you being enthusiastic when you say goodmorning? If not, then that is the answer. You need to excite the Bird. When I feed My Parrots, I say OHHH YUMM!! very loud and they have began to pick it up. Use motion and say it like you mean it, not boring like, birds don't care when they are bored!

-keet

Thanks for responding. I will try that!! There's hope then to learn new words.

when it comes to talking

There talking ability is entirely different to that of a parrot.

Most cockatoos learn to speak a few words only & nothing more. The few words they do learn you need to keep them saying these words or they do lose there ability to talk all together.

i thought they learned a lot of words. didn't know that, thanks.

It depends on the cockatoo. Many people say that cockatoos can learn as many words as african greys and have quite an extended vocabulary. We have a cockatoo that is not even 1 year old yet and says over 40 words and phrases. She also tries to sing old Mcdonald with animal noises and all (although she kind of garbles the words together in the middle) Most will not even begin to speak until well after their first year. But as far as the last post no they are not technically parrots, they are in a different family completely and some will not talk or say many words but with patience, love and attention they definitely do have the potential to talk up a storm!! Now cockatiels on the other hand will usually at most learn a few words.

wow - 40 words and macdonald's!!!! that must be so much fun. ours says his name (bianco) and barks like our dog and says pretty bird. he says, "my precious". when he wants to get petted, he screams at my husband, "hey!!!".

that's his whole vocabulary. but we've had him 5 years. maybe it's too late to add more words.

thanks for the info.

Cockatoos are capable to learn alot of words, it just depends on the bird, kinda like some African Greys wont be able to talk (or at least they haveno interest in it) And Cockatoos are parrots...

Ok now I think you're just ticked at me cos you don't like what I wrote to you in the other forum.....so you're having a go...

"Cockatoos are not parrots when it comes to talking" is what I wrote. A cockatoo species is by far one of the least able to talk, not meaning they can't talk, meaning those that can have an extremely low vocab compared to a PARROT species, which technically speaking is slightly different.

"Most cockatoos learn to speak a few words only & nothing more."

No I'm not ticked at all actually, don't freak out, and I had no idea that was you.