# Who has the most talkative cockatiel?



## elliot (Jun 25, 2012)

I was just wondering what peoples experiences were with cockatiels talking/impersonating/whistling tunes? Although I never really expected Sweep to talk, and thats not what I bought him for, I have been impressed with what he has managed to pick up...

He:
says 'good boy', 'are you a good boy' and 'good boy Sweep', 'Oi', he impersonates when you dial a number into the phone and the dial up tone when it connects, he does a good impression of the hoover, he makes some budgie noises, whistles the 'Darth Vadar' tune, 'If you're happy and you know it clap your hands...', 'We wish you a merry christmas', and he is beginning to learn the national anthem... 

I really never expected him to pick up much at all really, but he keeps surprising me, the Darth Vadar tune is really his forte though and he'll often sing that all day long <_< 

Is this a fairly normal amount for a male bird to learn, its just that the books are never that specific on their talking capabilities... I would imagine this has probably been discussed before, but I'm new and I haven't managed to find where yet 

thanks, 
Elliot


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## adellelauren (Jan 14, 2012)

I have two males that sing thier hearts out. My Lutino says pretty boy and makes kissing noises. My normal just whistles. I have a Pied that I think is a boy but am doing a DNA test to be sure.


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## JaimeS (Nov 28, 2011)

Sweep sounds like a very smart boy!

My boy says "whatcha doin'" and "pretty bird" usually together while pursuing a girl 
He also sings the Andy Griffith song, If You're Happy..., and The Addams Family song. My youngest boy has just starting talking/singing and says whatcha doing and sings The Addams Family because that is the song my other boy is obsessed with right now.

I am trying to teach them pop goes the weasel


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## meaggiedear (Nov 20, 2011)

One boy can say "pretty bird" 

My lutino boy can say an array of things that I can't recognize. lol. I do know he can say, "Hello." "Hello pretty bird." "What you doin?" "Whatya do?" "WHAT.DID.YOU.DO?" <-- he says that one fast and angry. lmao.

he can sing "if your happy and you know it" and "the mickey mouse march"

we are working on the addams family still. he loves the mickey mouse march so that is what he sings. lol.


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## elliot (Jun 25, 2012)

Thanks JaimeS, Sweep is very smart... a bit too smart for me sometimes!  Your birds sound really smart too! 

Its funny how they become obsessed with different songs too, 

Sweep grumbles lots of stuff too meaggiedear, and it really is grumbling as my voice is fairly deep, so he is probably trying to say stuff which is just a bit out of his vocal range  it makes me laugh though as he sounds really grumpy sometimes, although I suppose thats not really good when its me that he's copying <_<

The Addams family sounds popular though, perhaps that can be the next tune after he's mastered the national anthem


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## meaggiedear (Nov 20, 2011)

elliot said:


> Thanks JaimeS, Sweep is very smart... a bit too smart for me sometimes!
> 
> Its funny how they become obsessed with different songs too,
> 
> ...


lmao. he would probably keep me laughing if he sounded like a grump.


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

Sweep does sound very smart. My tiel doesn't talk but imitates sounds- he ribbits like a frog, beeps with the microwave, squeaks (because there is a squeak in our floor), snores (thanks to the fiance) and does a pretty good R2D2 impression.


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## meaggiedear (Nov 20, 2011)

sunnysmom said:


> Sweep does sound very smart. My tiel doesn't talk but imitates sounds- he ribbits like a frog, beeps with the microwave, squeaks (because there is a squeak in our floor), snores (thanks to the fiance) and does a pretty good R2D2 impression.


we need all this on video, please.


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## elliot (Jun 25, 2012)

Yes! video would be great, I shall try and get some of sweep too, trouble is he finds the video camera fascinating and stops whatever he was doing before to come and investigate...


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

i got my Tsuka... he isnt the best whistler but he LOVES to talk...

complete with subtitles 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Y3juZIWs9E


he says other things he doesnt say in this video.

he says:
kisses! mwa! (often says good boy after)
good boy!
hey tsuka boy
hey tsuka boy good boy
hey tsuka boy what are you doing?
what are you doing?
dally girl
whatcha doing?
i love you
pretty boy
dally boy (yes he calls her the wrong gender often)


he used to say some old stuff from his old home but he hasnt said that stuff in a long while... he mixes and matches stuff all the time too lol


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## elliot (Jun 25, 2012)

Thats very impressive! I love the video, he is very sweet and has a nice whistle! Whenever Sweep makes any noise, he makes it as loud as possible  it would be nice if it was a bit softer like Tsuka sometimes! 

How old is he, do you find that he picks up things even with his girlfriend there, as I thought they were less likely to if there are other cockatiels present?


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

cockatiels will pick up words and phrases they like regardless of other birds around, it all depends on the bird. tsuka is a talker rather than a whistler, not sure why, hes rather tone deaf with his whistling lol

he is around 2 years and 4 months now, he was just 2 years or so at the time of the video. he picks up words easily but only ones HE likes. trust me we are lucky. my fiance's mom tries to teach him to curse at my fiance, he doesnt like those words and never has learned them in all the 2 years shes tried to teach him lol he usually picks things up in as soon as 2 days to a few weeks.

he was already talking by the time we got him. we got him at 5 months old, parent raised and untame. we tamed him ourselves and he is a sweet cuddly bird with a mood swing issue lol 

if you notice when you say something he steps really close to you and gives you this look and even tries to move his mouth when you talk, hes heard something he likes. keep saying it to him, make it as fun for him as possible. they like the emphasis on words that make them more exciting. tsuka picks up words he learns from when he is doing something he likes, usually giving me kisses or getting cuddles or when i talk to them every day. some tiels arent talkers. most are supposed to be whistlers, im not sure what happened to tsuka there. he just talks non stop all day like he does in the video lol

tiels are not one of those birds who are known to lose their bond with people when they have a friend. they are just as friendly and likely to do the regular things that tiels do with people even if they have a buddy. they are pretty laid back like that and they do love people.

tsuka has a set of lungs on him. he occasionally at least once a week will scream a wolf whistle at the top of his lungs or he will try to compete with the vacuum. but get him screaming and your ears ring  hes loud when he wants to be lol


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## elliot (Jun 25, 2012)

It certainly sounds like you've done a good job with him! You're lucky he doesn't like the swear words too!! 

Sweep is just under one and he picks up stuff all the time too, he just starting making zipping noises this morning as I was packing a bag and he loves helping!
My girlfriend just told me he imitated the phone ringing about five or six times yesterday, I haven't heard him do that yet though 

Sweep has some very noisy days too, sometimes he will sit and scream for attention all day and yet on other days he is fine just to amuse himself... its amazing how penetrating the scream is isn't it? :wacko:

Would you recommend getting a second cockatiel then? I've been considering getting Sweep a girlfriend for a while now, to make him happier on his screaming days if anything  and because they are meant to be flock birds... He does have a budgie friend in a cage next door to him, who loves him and they do chatter to each other, he doesn't really love her back though  although they do preen each other every now and then when they are out...


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

i wouldnt get another tiel for him. i would get another if YOU want one. because say you get him a new tiel friend but it doesnt work out, you have two tiels you need to divide the attention for. so if you want another tiel and it can work for you, then go for it. if you spend time with both birds each day, you should not lose your bond.

if hes learning things young, hes going to keep learning 

and just under one year old? he may be louder as he is hitting those new hormones, plus its breeding season, so you got the screaming from hormones. i find mine scream more during breeding season as well. but the screaming is worse when theyre housed separate lol.

so its up to you in the end. just keep in mind it may not work out and you might need to give two needy birds attention rather than one. just prepare for the worst and hope for the best  best way to go with that. because best case you will have two good friends together to keep eachother company when you are gone, but worst case, you got two cockatiels who dont get along who both want your attention. so if you are prepared to give two separate birds that attention and you want to, go for it.

he will still learn new sounds and tunes and words. they learn things they like and hear regularly, regardless. if the proper time is given, they still stay bonded to their owners even if theyre bonded to eachother. thats whats nice about tiels. they generally get along and they can have friends outside of their own relationships lol


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## elliot (Jun 25, 2012)

I always want another cockatiel  just thought I would make that clear  I just want to make sure that he's happy too, so it is always going to be a gamble whether they would get on or not I guess... 

As for learning new tunes and stuff, each one he learns is a bonus as thats not why I got him as a pet, so it wouldn't bother me if he stopped learning them tomorrow 

And yea, he definitely does get hormonal sometimes 

thanks for your advice!


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

not a problem  been there done that with the hormones.... lol

i have also made the mistake of getting a bird for a bird, i will admit that, but thats why i pass on this advice. i got tsuka for dally, it helped with her screaming, they tolerate eachother and can share a cage with little problem, but theyre not really close friends, theyre not bonded. theyre both bonded to me. i got two birds who love me but only tolerate eachother. had that worked out worse, i could have been out of luck there for making that choice lol now i know not to get a bird for a bird, get the bird if you want her. go for it.


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

elliot said:


> Yes! video would be great, I shall try and get some of sweep too, trouble is he finds the video camera fascinating and stops whatever he was doing before to come and investigate...


My tiel also stops whatever he's doing when he sees the camera but then turns his back on me and walks away...... But I'll give it a try.


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## Ghosth (Jun 25, 2012)

Have not heard a word out of my Cara yet but he's pretty young I think. 

Whistle up a storm when he's in the mood though. There is no way I can keep up with him whistling. 

My (RIP) budgie had a habit of muttering away, sounded like a little old man muttering under his breath. But then every now and then would slip in a crystal clear phrase. Including things he heard someone say on the other end of a phone conversation.
But then you never knew what you'd hear from him.


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