# Talking



## Harriet (Jun 7, 2013)

Was curious whether Cockatiels talk or just whistle? 

My Harry whistles and sings heaps but not talk.

Can others shed some light please


----------



## catalinadee (Jan 1, 2011)

I've had two that can talk. It's hard to make out when they do but the parront will know


----------



## Harriet (Jun 7, 2013)

Thx, I ask cos my boy sounds like he's saying "come on" we say that a lot to him cos instead of us carrying him everywhere, we get him to follow us and we say come on 

He's almost 1


----------



## ccollin13 (May 24, 2013)

They can talk  Their voices aren't very clear, but you'll know what they are saying because it will usually be a phrase that you say to them a lot! If it sounds like he's imitating you saying "come on," than he probably is! It may not get much clearer, but they definitely can.

Tommy says "Hi Chuck" clearly (he learned that because we say it to the cockatoo) and also "pretty bird" or just "pretty pretty pretty pretty." Ziggy says "Yeah!" and has "conversations" where he mumbles like he's talking, some of it sounds like "pretty boy."


----------



## Janalee (Jul 25, 2012)

*talking*

Bennie is starting to talk some, but usually not very clearly and only when HE feels like it. He has startled me a couple of times by saying clearly "Pretty bird" and once a loud wolf whistle. Other times he makes rather garbled sounds.


----------



## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

There's some awesome videos on YouTube of 'tiels talking.


----------



## RowdyTiel (Jan 24, 2013)

Maverick chatters (very very rarely) if I let him watch TV, and once it sounded like he said "Hey pretty bird".  But he's more of a whistler.


----------



## ollieandme (Mar 25, 2013)

yes they talk! my Bjorn is such a talker. it's a very melodious speech they have.
Bjorn likes to say 'hello birdie' 'hello bjorn' whatcha doing bjorn' 'bjornie-ornie' hello bjornie' etc. he loves his talking!


----------



## moonchild (Jul 29, 2012)

Moon can talk VERY clearly, when he wants to. The most common thing he says is "Whaddaya doin'?" followed by "Hello." He can also say "I love you" and "I'm a pretty bird" (though he rarely does).

None of my others have ever even tried to talk. Solaire's first owner told me that he could say "Who's a good bird?" But I've had him a few months and i have yet to hear it.


----------



## WhiteCarnation (Jul 14, 2013)

They can definitely talk!

Jub has random wistling moments throughout the day where he just goes crazy and whistles everything he knows. Once in a while he will throw in some talking.

He knows "I'm a pretty bird" and "here kitty kitty". The kitty one is very hard to interpret, its very muddled. But the pretty bird call is clear as day! 

I've yet to have him pick up on anything I've said though, so only his old stuff from his previous owners.


----------



## Harriet (Jun 7, 2013)

So it seems it depends on the bird.....

Harry whistles the Addams Family tune followed by a loud wolf whistle and kissing sounds oh and can't forget my sneezing, cheeky lil man 

But thanks for sharing, I love hearing others stories, our lil guys and girls are much loved


----------



## WhiteCarnation (Jul 14, 2013)

I want to hear a bird whistle the Adams family tune, that would be awesome ^.^!


----------



## Anna-marie (Jul 30, 2013)

there is a video on you tube of one singing adams family easy to find. i spend ages on there looking at them all. also love one called sunny he's got a few on there talking away


----------



## Anna-marie (Jul 30, 2013)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pS_0vkVqJU

this is one with sunny 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dD_tPNYgy58

and a adams family link too


----------



## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

I have a couple of males that say a few words, 

Shiloh: “what are you doin’?”, “what are you doin’ doin’?”, and “pretty, pretty bird”.

Mishka: “what?” and “hey boppy” (my Indian Ringnecks nickname).

Jack (when I had him): “hi Jacky boy”, “oi”, “hi Jack, Jack, Jack”, and “hey boppy”.


----------



## shannoncrangasi (Mar 12, 2013)

Hello everyone! My female 9 month old just whistles, but her brother talks and whistles. he can say his name 'pasha' and it is clearly the word because he expirates to make a shhhh sound with one bronchial tube and makes the actual sound with the other, its really interesting to think that the shhh we make with our mouths, they can make with their more sophisticated voices ! He can 'say' lots of things that he can also whistle --- so from the start i would say 'paaaashaaaa, where aaaarrreee you ??' in a sing song voice and then when i stepped him up on my finger i'd say 'here! here! here!' and now he can say this, but he can also sing song whistle it perfectly, he uses it as a game, --- climbs up on my head and sings at the top of his lungs 'PASSSSHHHHAAAAA WHERE ARRRE YOU' and then he'll look over the edge of my hoodie to see that i see him and climb down to my finger saying 'here here here here' ... and it is handy if he flies to somewhere new and he can answer me (admittedly, with 'pasha where are you' since 'here' is for when he is on my finger ) 

He also picks up whistles easily --- and he says hello, good morning, the same as before, in both bird style talking and in their whistle tone format  

i did a basic beat boxing in 4/4 time for him 3 weeks ago, and he was fascinated. even if he is chewing a shoelace end he will drop it and run to watch my lips when i beat box. immediately he got the 4/4 regulated time and made a simple whistle that went 'woo woo woo WOOOOOO' and in rythym, for the very first time he keeps a rythym. and now that is one new song, and he is starting to practice the beat box in a new voice to mimic my voice doing it ... so cute, he is practicing it only in the afternoons at sunset and only when he is alone with the other birds and my partner --- not if i am there. 

There are great articles about song patterns in bird brains that explain why sometimes the birds sing their own repertoire (composed of everything they know ) and sometimes they use it to communicate with us  

Tell me more about what all your birds sing and say and when ! 

shannon


----------



## urbandecayno5 (Oct 24, 2012)

Hank(female) can do a wolf whistle but that's about it
It would be kinda cool if she could learn a song but I doubt that will happen


----------



## WhiskeyBird (Apr 6, 2013)

Whiskeybird can say "Tequila!" and "Whatcha doin'?" He sings the Tequila song and the Andy Griffith Show theme song pretty well, and he wolf whistles, mimics my cellphone email whistle, and mimics the stinking microwave beeping. He also does Rue's whistle from The Hunger Games. I'm trying to teach him some new songs too! He's such a smart little guy. I got him just weaned at the beginning of April, so he's learning fast!


----------



## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Here it is. This is what I would call one of the best 'talking cockatiel' videos on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eXlfV4UXng


----------



## Harriet (Jun 7, 2013)

Wow, they're all very impressive, I have a habit of doing baby talk to young ppl and animals, so I'd say to Harry, winya winya winya winya, quite quickly, now he says it non stop followed by a wolf whistle then kissing noise, he's so beautiful, I'm scared of getting another one just in case he stops talking


----------

