Why parrots can talk like humans
Monkeys are our closest biological relatives, and they can’t speak. But parrots don’t seem to have a problem at all.
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In 2016 researchers released a study with an incredible headline: monkey vocal tracts are speech-ready. It showed that monkeys are held back from speech not by their bodies, but by their brains. But if that’s the case, what’s the deal with birds?
Parrots are known for their ability to mimic human speech with incredible accuracy. It’s jarring to hear an animal so vastly different from us speaking our language. So how do they do it? Partially, neurology: parrots are wired for communication in ways other animals (including other birds) are not. But it’s largely physiology. Birds are uniquely equipped to make sounds, and this video will give you a basic overview of how that works.
Throughout reporting this piece I had several conversations with Dr. Irene Pepperberg – If you’re interested in the neurology of these birds, I highly recommend checking out her studies on African Grey parrots. I’ve linked to a few of them below:
Evidence for Conceptual Quantitative Abilities in the African Grey Parrot: Labeling of Cardinal Sets
Acquisition of the same/different concept by an African Grey parrot: Learning with respect to categories of color, shape, and material
Number Comprehension by a Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus), Including a Zero-Like Concept
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@CountryEffects
March 21, 2026 at 5:33 pm
0:36 ulr
@johnnyrocketed2225
March 21, 2026 at 5:33 pm
Some think humans developed language listening to birds for basically millions of years. 🤓
@ChadFreeman757
March 21, 2026 at 5:33 pm
Liar bird?
@guycipher
March 21, 2026 at 5:33 pm
I've heard one of my cats say a word before. Tripped me out.
@relentless305
March 21, 2026 at 5:33 pm
Birds are not meant to be pets freed them let the fly
@Valentin1nv
March 21, 2026 at 5:33 pm
Crows are more awesome than parrots!
@oussamahadda
March 21, 2026 at 5:33 pm
سبحان الله
@GulnozaDonasheva
March 21, 2026 at 5:33 pm
❤❤❤
@Cebulanka
March 21, 2026 at 5:33 pm
Vox, describing human speech and its differences in parrot speech: "In human speech, plosives require lips"
t, d, ʈ, ɖ, c, ɟ, k, ɡ, q, ɢ, ʡ, ʔ, 𝼃, 𝼁, ꞯ, 𝼂, ?, 7, g, ȡ, and ȶ: Are we a joke to youi?
@PinoFloys
March 21, 2026 at 5:33 pm
The parrot said "hello" and you answered him back with "how"
Rude.
@minipz9thebastfiiter509
March 21, 2026 at 5:33 pm
The beginning is every ship in one clip
@LauraLancealot
March 21, 2026 at 5:33 pm
So would dinosaurs be able to talk .
@truesight91
March 21, 2026 at 5:33 pm
I don't think parrots can compete with lyrebirds tho, I've heard lyrebirds make chainsaw sounds exactly like the machine…
@yz4043
March 21, 2026 at 5:33 pm
Its not talking its mimicking
@zombiimoff
March 21, 2026 at 5:33 pm
Shrock
@rohitro9927
March 21, 2026 at 5:33 pm
Please dubbed to Hindi
@Wooksley
March 21, 2026 at 5:33 pm
Your explanation of bird lungs is just bad, they are nothing like mammalian lungs. I can’t really explain it in a comment, but you should google it, bird lungs are insanely cool and way more efficient than ours. They are most similar to crocodilian lungs actually, which isn’t surprising given that they are the closest living relatives of birds.
@Colors_Test
March 21, 2026 at 5:33 pm
My African grey used to mimick a knocking at the door so accurately we would think someone came to visit
@hamzajamal5661
March 21, 2026 at 5:33 pm
SubhanAllah!
@Caiplays247
March 21, 2026 at 5:33 pm
For short birds or intelligent the mimic you but they don’t know what you’re saying they don’t understand you that’s it bye😂
@Cabezon_305
March 21, 2026 at 5:33 pm
parrots gotta start paying taxes too
@fatimaalarabi5581
March 21, 2026 at 5:33 pm
سبحان الله 🤍
Comments are closed.