BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Birds Is Your Bird Intelligent?

The bird is much more intelligent than many people ever imagined. Training your bird and developing the bird's intelligence are all important parts of socialization. Birds are very social beings. A variety of safe toys is also an important part of your bird's life. How to have a happy bird! How intelligent is your bird? Does your bird talk? Do they communicate or simply repeat what they have heard? What do you do to stimulate your bird's intelligence? What bird toys do you provide? My first bird article - Feedback please. Good or bad, I can take it :) I also always enjoy suggestions for new articles too! [URL=http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art177785.asp]Bird Intelligence - Training Birds[/URL]

You're right, birds are very intelligent and they don't just mimic what they hear, they can communicate. They listen to other's speak, learn the context of their speech and use the new words with words they already know.

Toys a huge variety of different type of toys. Put some away and bring others out. They need plenty of attention. If they are caged they need plenty of time outside the cage. The happier the bird the more they seem capable of learning. Far fewer behavior problems. Not that many things bird's do are behavioral issues than natural bird behavior. This is a wonderful first article!

Hi Diana,

Great article. Birds are very intelligent and owning a parrot is a treat. I have owned many over the years (rescues mostly and only a couple we purchased).

It is important to note that any one bringing home a new parrot should not spoil the bird with attention as much as figure out the amount of attention that can be given to the bird on a regular basis and be consistent with that goal.

Many birds that pluck are birds that when first bought were lavished with attention. Then when the owner got back into the normal routine and did not spend as much personal time with the bird it resorted to self mutilation. Cockatoos are well-known for feather plucking tendencies.

Owners with limited time can still enjoy a pet bird, but spend time in moderation from the start and allow the bird to learn how to entertain itself with activities and entertaining toys and treats.

Good points about them being social. Do not leave them in a room by themselves they are part of the family!

And smart they are. I know my birds understand sarcasm in my voice and laugh when they hear me say something sarcastic to the family. They are very wise.

One red-throat conure I had raised up from about 4-weeks old talked well, and when we had bought an 8-mo. old red-throat years later, she learned to talk from him.

Thank you for the advice Vi. I hadn't really thought about lavishing a bird with attention causing problems but it certainly could. And that is the first things we are incline to do with a new parrot (or any animals :) So being consistent is the key-Thank you! I completely agree that the bird should be among the family and not stuffed in some bird room. After all, they are part of the family. Birds are highly social in the wild and they need their human family. We choose to have these birds as pets and it is our responsibility to make sure they are healthy and happy and that includes being their family! I had a new bird that was hand fed. At night he would murmur when it was dark and quiet. Soon he would come out with some complete sentence. The first thing I did, ever single morning, was open up the cages and let everyone out on their playpens for the day. I over slept one day. I heard a very loud "Come here and let me out of this darn cage!" I thought I had been dreaming. Then he said it again. He NEVER heard that sentence before. He may have heart the words in singles used in other sentences. But he put that entire phrase together! Amazingly intelligent animals! What indications have you observed that birds communicate instead of mimic Vi?

I had a macaw that use to talk up a storm. It caused one problem though. We had a two- story house. Someone would knock on the door, if I was upstairs I'd just yell come in. Come to find out after receiving a telephone call from a friend who had tried to visit the bird would answer the door when no one was at home. My friend would knock and the bird would yell come in! She'd try the door knob, locked. She'd knock again, come in! She got so frustrated. I told her we hadn't been home and evidently it had been Riker answering the door! No telling what the feathered monster did while we were gone. He got angry once we had left him for a short while and de- wall papered my dining room lol.

I had just posted about my sister's cockatoo. I mentioned she was very affectionate but doesn't talk. Maybe an occasional sound that kind of sounds like something. Is something wrong with her? She seems ultra smart figuring out puzzle toys and stuff. Don't all parrots talk? Excuse my ignorance I am a reptile person but it does make me wonder. Her name is Angel by the way.

Birds talk or don't talk for a variety of reasons. Here is a good article from this website.

Why do some birds have the capability to talk?

I agree completely Les wrote an outstanding article. Angel sounds like a Cockatoo I met in California. She was just the sweetest little thing. In fact, her name was Angel too! After reading the article above if you have any questions be sure to post.