How to Teach a Cockatiel to Talk?

Translated by Nick R

Cockatiels are amazing birds with qualities that make them adorable pets, excellent companions, and great conversationalists. If you are interested in learning how to teach your little friend to talk, read on.

Why can cockatiels talk? 

Do cockatiels talk? The answer is yes; cockatiels can make sounds, sing and talk by imitating humans. A special ability only in some species of birds. Why cockatiels do talk and other birds don’t? For two simple reasons:

Cockatiels are biologically able to learn to speak 

Just like parrots, cockatiels are very intelligent and can emit sounds through a vocal organ called the syrinx, which is located below the trachea. This is a special organ with which they can sing and articulate words, using their tongue and beak to vocalize, just as we humans do when we speak, by using our tongue and lips.

Cockatiels’ behavior makes it easier for them to learn to speak 

They are such intelligent birds that, according to a study published in the specialized journal Plos One, their intelligence can be compared to other birds that are known for their ability to create tools, such as crows, which in turn have been compared to chimpanzees, even with the intellect of children under 5 years of age.

On the other hand, the behavior of these fabulous birds facilitates learning and communication, as they are among the most social and emotional birds in existence. Cockatiels have complex body language that allows them to express emotions and moods through movements and postures.

Although they don’t use much verbal communication in their natural habitat, this ability can be exploited to surprising levels in captivity.

The males are more communicative 

Not all cockatiels are fluent talkers, males are more likely to talk than females as they instinctively need it as a quality to attract females in courtship, i.e. Do chicks like talkers? Yes, females choose the guy who expresses himself the best and talks the nicest, does that sound familiar?

Well, from flirting to action…

Can I teach my cockatiel how to talk? 

Yes! In fact, it will be easier when they interact with people. However, teaching your bird to talk is not a simple process, it requires affection and a lot of patience. Although they have the natural ability to talk and are very intelligent animals, that doesn’t mean they’re going to learn the Larousse dictionary overnight. So follow these five easy steps to teach your pet to talk:

1. Create a bond for teaching your cockatiel to talk 

Before taking the first step, it’s very important that you and your bird are true friends, that is, you must have a very close emotional and energetic bond to create a natural connection and allow the bird to learn to talk. Remember that they are very friendly birds and enjoy contact with their peers and other species; it will be easy, you’ll see.

Gain your cockatiel’s trust 

It is a myth that you can tame and teach your cockatiel to talk at the same time. Quite the contrary, in fact, if the bird doesn’t trust you it is unlikely that you will achieve either. Therefore, you must tame it by gaining its trust, giving it lots of affection, and providing it with the attention it deserves, as you will see how spoiled they are.

Additionally, before starting the training, I recommend you verify that the bird is healthy and in a good mood. This will help improve its learning curve.

You may want to know more about bird training.

2. Play music to teach your cockatiel to talk 

You may be surprised at the benefits of music to birds from a young age. Given that they are very receptive animals and have the ability to talk, you should keep in mind that playing some music, singing, or making noises with your mouth are basic exercises that stimulate the cockatiel to learn to talk.

Enrich your cockatiel’s environment 

Music is an essential element when you have singing or talking birds, external melodies are a way to enrich their environment, improving their mental and emotional health. They are not songbirds, but they will learn a song or two, first it will be short sounds and cries (something they often like to do). Later you will realize their ability as singers.

Teach through sounds 

Every noise you make and pleases your friend is an opportunity for them to learn something new. Cockatiels are very curious birds and will seek to learn more and more. You can sing melodies while whistling to start. This type of noise motivates them to repeat and emit similar sounds that, work as a warm-up for the next step.

3. Teach your cockatiel tricks, it will help him/her learn to talk 

Tricks are another way to train and motivate your parrot to speak through simple commands composed of words or phrases, as they are easier to grasp and you familiarize the bird with a simple language that has a purpose, thus challenging it mentally. Plus, they’ll love it if you reward them every time they get it right. Some words such as “Get in! Come on! Paw! Among many others that serve to get him used to your voice.

Some basic tricks that can help you in this mission are:

  • Finger trick.
  • Shoulder trick.
  • Towel trick.
  • Ball trick.
  • Salute trick.

Learn more tricks here

4. Repeat words to teach your nymph cockatoo to speak 

The first step to teaching your cockatiel to articulate words is to repeat easy words several times so she can repeat them. This way, she will compile words for her own repertoire. I advise you to pay attention to her reaction to each word and use the ones she likes best.

My main recommendation is that you use one word at a time until she memorizes it and says it fluently. Also, don’t forget to set up a quiet and safe space to start with this training; if it’s outside the cage in the open air, even better!

How long should the training take? 

I recommend you do this exercise for 10 or a maximum of 15 minutes, the activity should not be so tiring because the bird will get bored at a certain point and you want him to enjoy this time with you. Additionally, make sure the exercises are dynamic, including cuddles and treats such as snacks or sunflower seeds (they love them).

What is the best age to teach them to talk? 

The ideal age to start this type of training is at 6 months when they have reached a certain maturity but are still young enough to absorb the information easily and retain their learning in the long term.

5. Repeat phrases to teach your cockatiel to speak 

Finally, when the bird already has a good lexicon and knows several words, the next step is to teach it sentences of about two words at first; if after a week it is doing well, you can increase the complexity to about three words. Do this exercise for about two weeks in 5 to 10-minute sessions. Obviously, keep in mind that the speed of learning depends on the individual, the whole process can take months.

At this level you can use the music in a different way, singing and sharing the lyrics with your friend. The songs will no longer be just sounds for him, but he will be able to articulate words and phrases as he sings. At this point, you can teach him simple songs like ” The little cockroach”. Ready for karaoke?

Can my cockatiel learn everything I tell him? 

No, not everything. We have recognized them as birds with a much higher intelligence compared, for example, to birds like canaries, parakeets or, failing that, the lovebird, another bird that can make sounds and is biologically very close to parrots (the most talkative ones). However, it has certain limitations when compared to the latter, which are larger species with a more advantageous speaking anatomy, mainly because they have a larger and more mobile tongue.

Talk to your cockatiel daily to teach him/her to speak 

Once your cockatiel can articulate sentences, it’s time to engage her in daily conversations. This will help her memorize better and she will speak fluently. Communicating daily with your bird should become a special habit for both of you. Be warned, once the bird learns to speak fluently, there will be no one to shut her up!

This last step should be kept forever until the end of your friend’s days, it will be therapeutic for both of you.

If you still have any doubts, listen to Cuca. She’ll surprise you!

Advice 

If you want to strengthen the training so that your cockatiel learns to speak faster and better, you can reinforce daily exercises with recordings of your favorite phrases or of cockatiels talking so that your friend can listen to them during the day, when you are not at home. Keep in mind that, this resource doesn’t replace personal interaction with your pet, it is only an aid.

Now that you know how to teach your cockatiel to talk, what are you waiting for? Start now, and don’t miss out on this beautiful opportunity to have the most fun with your little winged friend.

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