Top 45 Talking Birds Species

Talking birds such as the African grey, Amazon’s yellow napes, blue fronts, red lords, and double yellowheads are kept as pets.

Macaws (Scarlet, blue, and gold) and cockatoos may talk with more effort. Mynahs will actually converse.

Smaller parrot species such as budgerigars and some parakeets also talk very well. Cockatiels, lovebirds, lorikeets, and conures may also talk, but with more effort. The key in learning to talk is their willingness to listen, alertness, and interest.

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Talking Birds Species

Talking Birds | From (A to C)

African Grey Parrot

African Grey Parrot is one of the best looking african birds species. Like other equatorial birds, African Grey Parrots are used to a warm climate and abundant forests where they can feed upon delicious fruits and vegetables.

In captivity, foods such as mangoes, papaya, cantaloupes, fresh peppers, peanuts, and raspberries; kiwi, pineapple, and star fruit are suitable for your African Grey Parrot.

As a companion, this intelligent bird can learn as many as 1,000 words and combine them to describe his needs like a five-year-old child.

Blue and Gold Macaw

One of the largest South American Macaws, Blue and Gold Macaws are 32-35 inches in length with a wingspan of 41-45 inches and weigh approximately 900-1200 grams.

These brilliantly colored parrots are extremely intelligent and sociable companions. These inquisitive and playful birds commonly have very large vocabularies and most will interact well with family members. It is steady in temperament and is one of the most popular of the macaw species.

Blue Crown Conure

Originating from South America, Blue Crown Conures are considered one of the best Conure speakers having a large vocabulary.

These intelligent birds require lots of large cages, many toys, and perches for entertainment. Matching the Macaw’s liveliness and color, the blue crown, however, is smaller, easier to keep, and bonds to more than one owner.

Their affection is shown by mimics of an owner’s sounds such as laughter. “Paulie” from the movie was a Blue Crown Conure.

Blue Front Amazon

The South American regions of Southwestern Brazil, Paraguay, and Bolivia produce Blue Fronted Amazon, predominantly green birds with a yellow face, blue feathers around the beak and on the throat, and yellow and red patch on the shoulders.

Visually determining sex is not possible. This 15-inch vocal but quieter parrots are popular because they are good at talking. Proper socialization for males is required to avert potential spitefulness at sexual maturity.

Blue Headed Pionus Parrot

Originating in Central and South America, Blue Headed Pionus Parrots have unique characteristics: green body and bright blue head/neck with pink (sometimes) at the throat, red feathers under the short tail, a wheezing hissing asthma-like sound, and a book that appears overgrown.

The blue-headed parrot’s sex is not visually detectable. They train well with simple commands. With a safe environment and good nutrition, it can live beyond 25 years.

Bronze Winged Pionus Parrot

Drier woodland habitats of eastern and central Brazil yield Bronze Winged Pionus Parrots. They have a scaly appearing head, a dark blue throat and upper breast, and a red undertail.

Residing in small groups, this parrot will swiftly fly away for miles. They diet on seeds, berries, fruit, and flower nectar and home in dead tree hollows. Shy and reserved, these parrots are less noisy and demanding than others, but susceptible to stress and infections.

Cape Parrot

A very rare Old World bird in the wild and captivity is the Cape Parrot. The only true Cape, Robustus (P.r.r), comes from South Africa does not exist in the US.

Since two family members, Suahelicus (P.r.s) or Grey-Headed Parrot from central southern Africa and the Fuscicollis (P.r.f) or Brown-necked Parrot from southwestern Africa have been reclassified. On the decline, their import is banned. Capes are gentle, medium-sized, very intelligent, and speak well.

Catalina Macaws

Catalina Macaws appeared as the result of crossbreeding of Scarlet Macaws with Blue and Gold Macaws.

These parrots are very large and very noisy. It is very important for potential owners to learn as much as possible about these birds because improper socialization can result in destructive behavior.

Catalina Macaws are brightly colored, and this makes them popular among pet lovers. These birds can be found in Mexico and South America.

Chaco Blue Fronted Amazon

Chaco Blue Fronted Amazons like the Blue Front Amazons have vivid green feathers slightly edged with black starting at the nape of the neck; however, the Chaco has more yellow than blue on the head and a vivid red alula.

It is not a good first pet; proper training can manage their aggressiveness. Moodiness may occur during adult breeding cycles. Noisy, affectionate, and talkative (Amazon top 3rd;) they will live to entertain beyond 30 years.

Cockatiels

Naturally, cockatiels live predominately in Australia. The natural color of a cockatiel is gray, the crest and face yellow, and cheeks orange.

Pet cockatiels show in the popular lutino (white,) pied (patches of dark and light feathers,) cinnamon, and pearl.

Besides the “Budgie,” it is the most popular of parrots, but it is hardier and lives longer (cockatiel lifespan 15-20 years compared to the budgies’ 7-8.) These pets can perform tricks, whistle tunes, and talk.

Congo African Grey Parrot

Easily adaptable when young, they can be left alone for a while. Congo African Grey Parrots make good pets to quiet homes without children. They bond well to one person or sex.

They are very shy, playful and intelligent, but can easily become bored. Thus, they do well with lots of chewable objects and nontoxic tree branches. They are considered the best talking of parrots and live up to 50 years.

Conures

Sweet, lovable, and affectionate, Conures are playful and will often mimic an owner’s behavior.

They can be protective and have been known to protect against intruders. Not all Conures are talkers, but many are.

Some of their amusing behaviors are: head bobbing for hunger or attention; pecking for focus; backing up/rubbing tail for love signs; beak grinding for contentedness; wing-flapping for contact; episodic franticness for undetermined reasons; and French kissing (not recommended for bird’s health.)

Talking Birds | From (D to H)

Double Yellow Headed Amazon

Outgoing, comical, and bold, the Double Yellow Headed Amazon is not only smart and brightly colored but is a great talking bird. Their song ranges from simple nursery rhymes to opera.

Eager to please, they respond well to praise and appreciation, however, their willful nature requires an owner with a strong character.

One of the largest of the Amazon parrots, its natural range is along the Pacific slope of central Mexico to the Yucatan Peninsula.

Dusky Pionus parrot

Slightly darker in color and smaller than Amazons, the Dusky Pionus parrot may be considered by some to be rather drab in comparison, but are attractive in appearances like a falcon or hawk.

A short, squarish tail, a prominent ring about the eye, and a distinctive notch in the upper mandible characterize them. They are less temperamental and will learn simple tricks. The average lifespan is 25 years (to 40 in captivity.) Wing clipping is recommended.

Eclectus parrot

Vibrantly colored Eclectus parrots originated from the South Pacific. Adept at flying, they also climb trees well with beaks and feet. These noisy sociable birds gather in large flocks. Adventuresome (not shy,) they make good pets.

They are excellent talkers and mimics of favorite sounds. Males present bright glossy green feathers highlighting red flashings on sides and under-wings. Somewhat smaller females display vivid redheads, throats, and wings contrasting vibrant blue chest and purple under-wings.

Festive Amazon

The placement of color helps to distinguish Amazon parrots apart, for example, the Festive Amazon has a reddish-maroon color on the head.

Festive Amazons like other Amazons are popular companion birds and referred to as high-energy, opinionated rascals.

They are beautiful, intelligent parrots with excellent abilities to mimic human voices, sounds, and songs. As their name implies, they come from the Amazon River and tributary regions of South America. Their lifespan is approximately 30 years.

Goffin Cockatoos

Goffin Cockatoos can be found on the Tanimbar Islands of Indonesia, and they are rather large, having white plumage.

They do not have a smaller crest, than that of other species of the Cockatoo group, but they are as smart and talkative, as most of their Cockatoo cousins.

They are 12-13 inches long from tail to beak, and they possess a very friendly and docile temperament. Goffins are expensive, prices ranging between $800 and $1100.

Hahn’s Macaws

Hahn’s Macaws are smaller than other Macaws, and they reach 13 inches in length. They can be found in eastern South America, particularly in the tropical woods north of the Amazon of Brazil. Hahn’s Macaws have bright green plumage with red feathers under the wings.

The face is bare, featuring tiny black feathers, and there is a distinctive blue crown on top of the head and on the forehead. Hahn’s Macaws are easy-going and sociable.

Harlequin Macaw

The Harlequin Macaw was developed by crossbreeding a Green Wing Macaw with a Gold and Blue Macaw.

They are often confused with Catalina Macaws, because they have similar color patterns, but Harlequins appear to be slightly bigger than Catalinas.

They have red-orange chests, green or bluish wings, and big heads with a green top. Harlequin Macaws are very good-tempered, and they possess the laid-back nature of Greens and the playfulness of Blues and Golds.

Hyacinth Macaws

Hyacinth macaws are rich cobalt blue with deep golden-colored eye rings and pre-jaw and are dark gray underneath flight wings and tail feathers.

Their huge, gray-black bill deeply curves down into a sharp point adapted for consuming hard nuts. Hyacinths weigh 2.5-lbs, reach 40-inches and live 60+ years.

These rare Brazil/Bolivia Pantanal native birds nest in Maduvi trees and cliff-sides residing in small groups and mate lifelong. Vocalizations are lower frequency than other macaws.

Talking Birds | From (J to Q)

Jardine Parraot

An African Conure, Jardine parrot learns a reasonable vocabulary with the owner’s persistence. These birds are generally quiet, but their vocalizations are low-key whistles, chirps, squeaks, and assorted musical chattering.

A Jardine has black and green wings, a green head, and an underbelly with an orange/red forehead, socks, and a leading edge of the shoulder/wing (sub-species may vary.)

It is a curious, playful parrot with good talking potential and steady temperament capable of charming with goofy mannerisms, sideways swaggers, and lying on their backs.

Lilac Crowned Amazon

Lilac Crowned Amazons are very popular as pets, as they are good talkers and great in a family environment.

When raised from a baby they can develop quite a vocabulary, but wild-caught birds are almost impossible to teach to talk. Their beautiful lilac-colored crowns intensify as they get older.

Lovebird Parrots

Smaller than most parrots but full of parrot personality, the lovebird is easier to keep and is full of delightful clownish play.

For hours they spin around on toys or hang on them. They dance on your shoulder or snuggle and preen.

Possessing the intelligence and abilities of larger parrots, they can discover how to open cages, mimic sounds, and be bossy. Training and caution are prudent. Lovebirds bond better if pairing with another is not done.

Macaws

From South and Central America and a few Caribbean islands came these large, typically brightly colored parrots that have large beaks and long tails.

Natively, the most spectacular places to see macaws are clay licks, clay cliffs, often at a riverside, visited by macaws and other parrots at dawn in order to eat this clay.

They believed they eat this to protect their guts from the effect of poisonous seeds they eat or for trace minerals.

Meyers Parrot

The Meyer’s parrots inhabit the African moist woodlands and savannah edges. They eat seeds, nuts, berries, and cultivated grain.

Because of the numbers of captive Meyer’s parrots and the interbreeding with lack of full understanding of the 6 subspecies, captive subspecies of Meyers are difficult to identify.

Also visual sexing can be difficult (DNA testing recommended,) but generally the cock has a larger beak, larger head and the head tends to be flatter on the top.

Mitred Conure

Native to Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina, the mostly green to yellowish birds have red foreheads and unique red patterns around the eyes. In captivity, these active noisy conures will become very tame and will learn to speak.

They require a roomy playpen, a perch, lots of attention, patience, and toys. They may be fed a variety of sprouts, seeds, nuts, fruits, vegetables, and commercial pellets, and some nutritional human foods.

Moluccan Cockatoos

Moluccan Cockatoos are native to Seram and the surrounding islands of the Indonesian archipelago. They are fairly large and pink in color. Of all Cockatoos, these species seem to possess the freest and independent temperament.

This is in no way a bird for everyone, and these parrots are not easily bred in captivity. Males can be very aggressive, and they tend to take the whole thing out on females and often kill them.

Mynah Bird

The Mynah Bird is a small passerine bird that inhabits eastern Asia. These birds are gregarious (living in flocks.)

Mynah Birds feed on insects and fruit. Most species of Mynah Birds are brown, with yellow heads. Some species of Mynah Birds can mimic a few sounds.

Orange Winged Amazon

The Orange-winged Amazon has a green body, yellow face, blue feathers around the beak, and orange on the wing. Natively, these medium-sized birds live in the Amazon forests using their green feathers as camouflage from predators.

They move in large flocks in search of ripe fruits and nuts. As popular pets, they are affectionate and speak well. They can be noisy and males can become mean at sexual maturity if not properly trained.

Parakeets

Parakeets are small to medium-sized, and they occur in different colors. The term “Parakeet” stands for “long tail,” and this feature makes the parrot easily distinguishable.

Parakeets top the popularity rating, and they can be found any place on earth. They are very intelligent, companionable, and easy-going, and they are very easy to care for. Parakeets are active and busy, and they are adept at learning tricks and talking.

Parrots

Parrots, or Psittaciformes, are popular for their unusual color, intelligence, and ability to talk, however, not all parrots will talk. Their size is as diverse as their color.

The broad categories of parrots include lories and lorikeets, cockatoos and cockatiels, keas and Bucephalus, lovebirds and macaws, conures, short-tailed parakeets, and Amazons.

Typically, they are noisy birds demanding attention but have a lot of charm and personality. They generally originate from tropical and subtropical forests and surrounding areas.

Parrotlet

These small versions of the parrot are gaining popularity due to their size, colorful plumage, comical personality, and inability to scream.

They do not destroy their toys as they lack jaw strength. Yet, they are intelligent, bold, curious, acrobatic, talking, and capable of bonding with their owner.

Naturally territorial and curious, they may lead to trouble. Supervision is recommended. Seven species of parrotlets exist Pacifics, Blue Wings, Green Rumps, Mexicans, Sclater’s, Spectacles, and Yellow.

Quaker Parakeet

From the South American mountainous regions, Quaker Parakeets are kept for their intelligence, playfulness, and easy care.

Their origin predisposes their survival in the US as demonstrated by wild colonies created from groups of “lost” birds.

The ability to survive (up to 35 years) and their agriculture threats, force the states CA, CT, KA, KY, ME, PA, RI, TN, WY, NJ, HA, and GA to ban ownership. Mostly green/gray, this parakeet has blue or rare yellow variants.

Quaker Parrot

From the South American mountainous regions, Quaker Parakeets are kept for their intelligence, playfulness, and easy care.

Their origin predisposes their survival in the US as demonstrated by wild colonies created from groups of “lost” birds.

The ability to survive (up to 35 years) and their agriculture threats, force many states to ban ownership. Mostly green/gray, these bids have blue or rare yellow variants.

Talking Birds | From (R to Y)

Rainbow Lorikeet

Rainbow Lorikeets are the world’s most colorful parrots. They can be found in north-east Australia in rainforests, heathlands, and open forests.

Rainbow Lorikeets are very sociable, and at night time they move in flocks, which may count hundreds of species.

They feed on berries, fruits, tree bark, seeds, small insects, and grubs. Rainbow Lorikeets reach sexual maturity at 2 years of age. Clutches count 2 eggs and take 25-26 days to hatch.

Scarlet Macaw

Scarlet Macaws are large in size, reaching 34-36 cm in length. Like all other Macaws, they are brightly colored and easy-going.

However, these Macaws can be possessive about their owners and wary of strangers. If mistreated, they can display aggression and fear of their masters, and they are vulnerable to dramatic changes in the environment.

Scarlet Macaws are red, with yellow upper wing and blue rump, horn upper and black lower mandible, and pinkish face.

Senegal Parrot

The popular Senegal parrot has green feathers and a gray head with the 3 subspecies differentiated by “vest” color (yellow, red, and orange.)

Feeding on seeds, fruits, and grain on the African savannahs and moist woodland areas, farmers consider them as pests.

As pets, they are easy to keep, not very noisy, whistlers and talkers that mimic a sundry of sounds. Although they bond to one person, they will switch affections and will bite if excited or belligerent.

Solomon Eclectus

Solomon Eclectus is native to Solomon Island Eclectus; therefore it is frequently referred to as Solomon Island Eclectus.

It is not very big (approximately 12-13 inches,) and it can be sexed very easily: males are bright green, and females are red and blue.

This bird is well-mannered and easy-going, but it may exhibit fear or aggression if mistreated. Processed food is not recommended, and the diet should contain vegetables, which are rich in carotenes.

Timneh African Grey Parrot

One of 3 African Grey subspecies is the African Grey Timneh. It differs from Congo namely in a smaller size, maroon tail, and bone-colored upper third mandible.

Possessing much the same traits as their Congo cousins, they can talk, cuddle, be playful, and perform; however, some say they are less high-strung.

They diet on seeds, nuts, fruits, berries, nectar, palm oil fruits, and occasionally millet while inhabiting lowland forests, treed savannahs away from humans.

Tres Marias Amazon

Native to the Mexican Tres Maria Islands, the Tres Maria Parrots are a very rare subspecies of the Amazons and are often confused with the double-yellow-headed Amazons subspecies.

Very few have been seen in the wild, as they inhabit small islands used as penitentiary. They differ only in that Tres Marias lacks the black barring on chest feathers and yellow on the wings. Yet, like their cousins, they are great talkers and singers.

Umbrella Cockatoos

Umbrella Cockatoos are large in size, measuring 18 inches. The bird’s face wears an enchanting smiling expression, accentuated by sparkling black eyes.

The big crest on top of the head adds a glorious element to the parrot’s appearance when held erect. Umbrella Crested Cockatoos have a fine white plumage, which covers the whole body.

These birds originated in Indonesia in overgrown areas. In captivity, they make wonderful pets, but they can be extremely noisy.

White Capped Pionus Parrot

The white-capped Pionus parrots originate from South America and are the smallest of the Pionus parrots. Acquiring noticeable coloration as they mature, this subspecies is fundamentally green/blue, with a blue front and a white cap.

Basically sweet and quiet in temperament, they adapt to change, but generally bond to one person. Yet they don’t require an abundance of physical contact.

Yellow Naped Amazon

Yellow Naped Amazons can be found in Mexico, Latin, and Central America, and the northern regions of South America.

They have distinctive yellow patches on the neck, which can vary in size. Some species do not have them at all. The primary color is green, with occasional yellow markings.

These parrots are very trainable and sociable, and outbreaks of aggression are possible during breeding periods. These birds are among the three most talkative species on earth.

Yellow Shouldered Amazon

The Yellow Shouldered Amazon is a social parrot that congregates in flocks of 8-80 but is basically shy as it nests in hollow trees or clefts in the rocky cliffs. They dine on fruit including cactus fruit.

They are basically green with dusky black on feathers’ edges, with white and yellow around the eyes, and yellow splashed on the shoulders and thighs. Their wings have a red stripe and the outer edges grade to violet-blue.

They love to bathe, respond to music, have a minimal vocabulary, and stay active preferring to climb.