AFRICAN GRAY CHILD SPEECH

Many people believe the African Gray merely "parrots" words, phrases,sentences and sounds. They disbelieve references to these birds carrying on a conversation or making an observation and then commenting appropriately or making up their own meaningful sentences. These disbelievers haven't lived with an African Gray. Even some who have their own African Gray proudly announce the number of words their
parrot can say...not stories of appropriate responses to many situations.

Many other birds, including parakeets, Quaker parrots, yellow nape parrots and more, do "parrot" and have impressive word counts. I once had a Quaker parrot named Barney who could recite the whole "This Little Piggy" rhyme including the "wee, wee all the way home". I used to marvel how the small bird with it's corresponding small brain could do this!

My African Gray parrot, Buster, often observes situations and people and then comments on the situation. For example, we sat out on our front porch one summer day and Buster was in his outside cage. A neighbor, dressed in a swimming suit with a towel thrown over his shoulder obviously going to the pool, walked up to Buster's cage and said "Hi, Buster!" Buster looked at the man from top to bottom. The he said clearly, "Goin' for a little swim?" The man, speechless, turned and continued on his way to the pool. Since he hasn't seen this man again in the same dress, he has NOT ever said it again, even when he is just jabbering whatever comes into his mind.

Now, Buster does imitate phones, smoke and car alarms, answering machines, microwave and timer beeps and a large assortment of sounds accurately fooling us in many ways. He also likes to whistle since African Grays don't squawk like other parrots.

Don't be surprised if you come to visit us and Buster doesn't like you or he thinks you have stayed too long. I have no idea what criteria he uses but he will say "Gotta go", "See ya later", and repeat these phrases until you leave. The minute you step out the door, he says, "Thank you!". We apologize, but Buster gets his way!

Next time I'll write about how African Grays can size up a situation, plan a response and then carry out the plan to get the results they want. Incredible to observe!