Parrots, as we know, are extremely vocal creatures, a trait that can be both a blessing and a challenge for their owners. Understanding the nuances of their vocalizations is essential for interpreting their moods and well-being. This article delves into the vocalizations of African Grey parrots, exploring the spectrum of sounds they produce and what these sounds might signify.
An African Grey Parrot in Kruger National Park, South Africa.
Happy Sounds
Happy sounds from parrots may include talking, as few parrots talk when they are anxious or feel poorly.Another happy sound is a pet parrot singing. Like with children, parrots often seem to sing to themselves when they are happy.
Whistling is another happy sound, especially for African grey parrots. Indeed, in the years when I boarded parrots in my home, any whistling on the radio was immediately joined by the whistling responses from the several African grey parrots that shared my home at the time. I’ve also delighted in pet parrots that babbled along making happy human-talk noises, though no actual words are included.
While parrots may not always understand human words, from my experience, they always understand the sentiment.
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Neutral Sounds
Laughter needs to be filed in the “neutral” category, as a pet parrot’s laughter does not automatically mean the bird thinks something is actually funny. Laughter is a human sound, not a parrot sound. Pet parrots learn to pair the sound of human laughter with certain actions if people teach it to.
It is important to understand that a pet parrot learns to pair laughter with an action only by following the pattern set by a person. So a parrot that laughs after biting you does not think it is funny that it hurt you.
Silence is another thing that belongs in the “neutral” category. It can mean a normal early afternoon period of napping, for example, or the quietude of a dark and rainy day. Or it can mean illness, as the parrot feels too poorly to waste energy vocalizing.
Unhappy Sounds
The most obvious unhappy sound is the piercing alarm call a pet parrot might make when it fears for its life. In addition to shrill alarm calls, the grey parrots (both African grey and Timneh) have an unusual sound they make when frightened; they growl, loudly!
Understanding Alarm Calls in Parrots.
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Some pet parrots that live in sterile, uninteresting environments appear to use vocalizing to stave off boredom. Such sounds are usually extremely loud and repetitive, what human psychologists might characterize as stereotypies.
One last comment about alarm calls and how people react to them: while it is important that frightened parrots be reassured if something terrifies them, be aware of how intelligent these birds are. I watched helplessly as a friend repeatedly rushed over to reassure her parrot whenever the bird made an alarm call. A better resolution might have entailed removing the need for alarm calls by covering the window or moving the parrot’s cage away from it.
The subject of alarm calls reminds me of a favorite African grey story. A family had a very calm adult grey parrot, in addition to several more skittish and hyper-reactive birds. Once in a while, things would apparently get boring for the pet grey, as he would suddenly start shrieking out the “grey alarm call,” guaranteed to pierce the brain like an ice pick in the ear. The other parrots responded by screaming and leaping off their perches or crashing into walls.
The Intelligence Behind the Vocalizations
Research has shown that African Grey parrots possess remarkable cognitive abilities, allowing them to communicate in meaningful ways.
In order to study how this works, the team videotaped Cosmo, a female, in four distinct social contexts. In the first context, Craige began recording Cosmo and left her house for the duration of the session. In the second, Craige sat in the room with Cosmo and interacted with her as normal. The third saw Craige in an adjacent room interacting with Cosmo normally by voice.
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The results showed that Cosmo’s spontaneous vocal production changed significantly across the four social situations.
“Cosmo merits serious scientific study for having learned to communicate and think in English,” said Craige. “She obviously has high intelligence, and she has a wonderful sense of humor; however, among African Grey parrots kept as pets, Cosmo’s ability to speak meaningfully is not unusual. What is unusual is the scientific attention to it.
“Cosmo and I chat constantly,” Craige said. “I believe that she has learned to speak meaningfully because I speak directly to her-clearly, and in a simplified English-and she knows I expect her to respond.
Understanding the vocalizations of African Grey parrots is crucial for responsible pet ownership. By recognizing the nuances of their calls, songs, and even silence, owners can better understand their parrots' emotional states and provide the appropriate care and environment.
