In the animal kingdom, parrots are known and recognized for their ability to speak. This is a talent that has been exploited in various shows and in all the homes in which one of them lives. It is true that they have the amazing ability to repeat the words that are said to them, but is that synonymous with the fact that they can speak as we human beings understand speech? And if so, why do parrots talk? We explain it in this article on our site.
Characteristics of Parrots
Parrots are birds of the order Psittaciformes, which includes a family, 78 genera and 330 species. More than 70 are at risk of extinction or already extinct. It is important to take this fact into account because this type of bird has been treated as a pet since ancient times. The ancient Egyptians already knew the so-called royal parrots. This means that many of them have been and are taken from their places of origin. Today, the international trade in these species has reached enormous dimensions and parrots, parakeets, parrots and cockatoos can be found as pets in practically the entire world. The hunting systems are destructive and are decimating the wild populations of these animals by uprooting them from their natural habitats, which are basically the tropical regions of the southern hemisphere. It is a fact for reflection.
Parrots are birds with a short flat bill, the upper part curved downwards and the lower part upwards. This design allows them to break down seeds and hard-shelled fruits, which are the basis of their diet. Another distinctive feature of parrots is their feet, with two fingers forward and two backwards They are very useful both for climbing and for carrying food to their beaks. They are broad-skulled and relatively large. They stand out for the color of their plumage, although in many species green predominates, which serves to camouflage themselves among the foliage of the rain forests where they have their natural habitat. Other characteristic colors of parrots are red, yellow and blue.
As far as is known, they are usually monogamous birds, that is, they remain paired for long periods of time and even for life. A fact in relation to the topic at hand is the sound they emit. It is usually a little melodic claim of a single syllable or a combination of several. In some species it is hoarse and low-pitched. In others, however, it is more acute. With these sounds they communicate with their peers. This interaction is the basis that can explain why parrots talk.
Do Parrots Talk?
Parrots can't do what we understand by talking. We define the action of speaking as the communication that is established through words, which are sounds with significance and meaning that are articulated with the vocal cords.
What are the vocal cords of parrots like? They don't, so they can only repeat sounds They don't have the ability to establish conversations as we humans understand them. Therefore, there are no types of talking parrots. All of them, yes, have an organ called the syrinx, which is a membrane located at the base of the trachea. For some birds, it allows great precision when it comes to repeating the sounds they hear. It's what explains why there are birds that can talk.
Some species of psittaciforms have shown themselves to be especially skilled at repeating the words they hear. They are the macaws, the cockatoos, the yacos or the Amazons. In the next section we explain why parrots talk or, rather, show that interest in imitating sounds.
Why do parrots talk and other animals don't?
As we have already seen, parrots do not speak, they imitate sounds and this is a capacity that not all animals have. Cats, for example, are animals with a high ability to imitate sounds, however, dogs do not have this quality. Find out how this is possible in this other article: "Do cats talk?".
Why do parrots imitate?
Parrots have a great ability to repeat the sounds they hear. It is not an ability that only they have, since there are other species, such as crows, magpies or starlings, as well as other birds of their order, such as parrots or cockatoos, that manage to reproduce sounds with great precision. When they are in captivity, the most common is that these sounds are the words that their caregivers address to them, as well as any other daily noise such as that of the mobile phone.
In addition to the syrinx, in the case of parrots, this capacity for imitation is complemented by a brain structure with areas dedicated to the imitation of sounds, which is why they are so good at it and it is what explains why parrots talk. The researchers believe that this structuring of the brain also allows them to follow the rhythm of the music.
These anatomical characteristics that endow them for imitation and, of course, the fact of being social animals that need and seek interaction, explain the interest of parrots in imitations, at least when they are in captivity. There are no examples of this type of imitation in birds that live in the wild.
