How are Greys able to mimic so well?

[lovethatgrey]

I don't expect to have an answer to this question.. I'm just sharing thoughts because

I've been thinking about this topic quite a bit tonight. Not only can they mimic a big range of sounds but they can also mimic human language perfectly. I was listening to some of Emma's videos and with certain phrases, she not only has my accent but to my astonishment, she actually sounds like me. How do they do this? Are their voice boxes similar to humans?

[esknomoe]

I have no idea. It absolutely fascinates me. Brutus immitates my voice, my girlfriend's voice. My Shih Tzu's bark, my Cavalier's bark, a rooster, an owl, the voice of the elderly lady that had him before, her cough (she must have smoked a lot), a car alarm, and various electrical dings, bells, and whistles around the house; all perfectly.

Just sitting and listening to him is better than watching tv.

[judygram]

I don't know the answer to your question Adina but maybe someone will enlighten us on how they actually are able to mimic our voices and other sounds. Josey recently learned how to bark like my daughter's dog so now I think he is in the house, guess it will get worse this weekend for he is coming to stay for a few days, oh me.:eek:

[Dusty]

Hi there.. um okay well I am still a novice to african grey ownership, but i am studying zoology so i can tell you a little bit about the anatomy and how they manage to mimic sounds.

 

Parrots do not have voice boxes similar to ours at all, infact they are very different, the larynx is an organ that evolved in mammals for producing sounds (and protecting the trachea). However in parrots it is the Syrinx that (together with the trachea) produces the sounds.

 

Parrots make sounds by the movement of air (vibrations) through the trachea and syrinx (essentially they are whistling).

Birds can change the pitch and volume using the muscles in that area.

 

It is also thought that some parrots use their tongue as well (but i am not sure about this).

 

In Grey's in particular, i have read that they actually mimic the sound of predators in the wild to deter other predators (i am not sure how correct this is but it would indicate an evolutionary reason as to why they are so good at it).

 

I hope that helps!!!

 

Picture of the syrinx and a

http://www.birdwatching-bliss.com/images/syrinx.jpg

[danmcq]

Dusty gave a great, in a nutshell overview.

 

They imitate sounds perfectly by calibrating until they have each nuance of the sound they are producing down to matching perfectly.

 

Greys are the Kings of speech and sound perfection, along with having the largest vocabulary of all parrots. Amazons are a close second.

[reggieroo]

My little boy is still practising, he is only 16 weeks old but trying his hardest to speak to us. You can here what sounds like words but very raucous & not clear yet, still trying to make out what he is trying to say.

[lovethatgrey]

Thanks for everyone's feedback. Yes, I've noticed the frequent calibration that goes on with Emma. I just think it's very impressive that greys can not only mimic a language but also "sound" like the person who is talking. I speak 4 languages fluently, yet I still keep my same voice.

[Luvparrots]

Interesting question Adina. Thank you Dusty for explaining it all to us!

[Elvenking]

My little boy is still practising, he is only 16 weeks old but trying his hardest to speak to us. You can here what sounds like words but very raucous & not clear yet, still trying to make out what he is trying to say.

 

Yep, Issac does the same thing. Issac is going into his 22nd week. When he is in a chatty mood, I just make sure to talk to him with simple phrases like, "Hello" and "I love you". And I will always put things into context when I can.

 

As someone has mentioned, their mimicry comes from an evolutionary defense mechanism. In the jungle, they would naturally pretend to sound like other animals to ward of predators. In homes however, the surrounding noises are much different

[reggieroo]

Yep, Issac does the same thing. Issac is going into his 22nd week. When he is in a chatty mood, I just make sure to talk to him with simple phrases like, "Hello" and "I love you". And I will always put things into context when I can.

 

As someone has mentioned, their mimicry comes from an evolutionary defense mechanism. In the jungle, they would naturally pretend to sound like other animals to ward of predators. In homes however, the surrounding noises are much different

 

We do exactly the same thing with Murphy when he's in a chatty mood "Hello" and "I love you". Another we say is alright & think he is trying to say it. Also while giving him tickles we say tickle etc so he learns.

[Talon]

Dusty gave a great, in a nutshell overview.

 

They imitate sounds perfectly by calibrating until they have each nuance of the sound they are producing down to matching perfectly.

 

Greys are the Kings of speech and sound perfection, along with having the largest vocabulary of all parrots. Amazons are a close second.

 

I hate to start a debate......how ever, it is my experience with my 2 greys and my 1 amazon, that my amazon out talks both my greys. She is only 1 year old, my greys are 4 1/2 years old. I've had them all since they were babies and my amazon's vocabulary far exceeds my greys. However, my greys are far more intelligent.

[celticdance]

I think its cute that baby greys babble just like human babies do. They make all kinds of speech sounds until words finally start to form. I love when he is chatty and just sits on his cage and babbles away, its hard for me to get a word in edgewise :-) But its neat just to listen to him talk and try to figure things out. He has a roosting cage in a room near my bedroom. This morning as I was waking up, I was listening to him do his morning chat to himself and he, very clearly, said "hello chicken". Its always astonishing how clearly it comes out when it finally does.

[danmcq]

No debates. ;-)

 

Check out this little amazing guy:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xNSTwAPK0k&feature=player_embedded#!

[danmcq]

Now that we know a budgie can do so well...

 

I now question Dayo's intelligence.

 

This last week, I have been rolling the birds outside for baths and viewing the great scenery. We have a crows nest about 75 feet away in the top of a 100 foot pine tree. So, every time the Crows fly over, I say "See the Crows?", "Lets go see the Crows" (When were in the house. Our next door neighbors have little yapping heel snipping dogs that run back and forth along the fence and like to get our Dobies to play fence bark your head-off games. So I tell Dayo, Doggie..woof-woof.

 

Now, why I question Dayo's intelligence..... He says "See the Crow?" Then he says "Woof Woof"...... :confused:

[Elvenking]

Wow...that is one vocal parakeet...this is rare to see these little guys talk for sure. My Conure makes sounds that I call demon noises where I can hear things but cannot make out what he is saying. I am pretty sure he says "Yer a good boy" among other things. I have been meaning to record them so I can play them back and figure it out.

[lovethatgrey]

I think that the african grey ability to mimic surpasses most species of parrot.

 

Whether they choose to exercise that ability or have an interest in speaking human is another matter.

[danmcq]

Most experts in the field all agree the Grey is capable of building the largest vocabulary and KNOW what it means.

 

Dayo will be 3 on the 28th of this month...

 

Dayo’s word and sentence, that I can think of at this time 4/20/2010

Almond

Apple

All Done

All Gone

Are you all right?

Are you ok?

Banana

Banana Nut Bread

Be careful

Be right back

Beak Rub

Beat Box

Bentley come here

Bentley, go on!

Bentley, come on Bentley

Bentley, NO!

Birdie

Big

Big Kiss

Bone

Broccoli

Cantaloupe

Cake

Careful, Careful Dayo

Carrot

Call Chloe

Cereal

Cheese

Chloe, come on Chloe

Chloe, come on lets eat

Coconut

Cookie

Coffee

Come on

Come on Jake

Come on, lets eat

Come on Bentley

Come on Chloe

Come on, lets eat

Corn

Corn, Ummmmmmmm num num num

Crash!

Cracker

Crow

Crystal

Damn It!

Dance

Dayo loves mommy

Dayo, Daaayyyoooo, Daylight comes and me wanna go home. Day, Da Da Day, Da Da Daaaaayyyyyoooooo… singing it.

Doggy

Drink of Water

Dry my hands

Eight

Evil, Awwww Awwwww Awwwwww

Five

Fly

Four

God Dang it

Get the Baby

Get the Ball

Get the Bell

Get the Boing

Get the Paper

Get the Toy

Get the Doggies a bone

Get your Butt!

Get some Juice

Get some Chips

Get some Cereal

Go outside

Good Boy

Good Boy Dayo

Good Flying!

Good Job!

Good Morning

Good Morning Dayo

Grape

Grape, Ummmmmmm num num num

Hahahahahahahahahahahaha

Hello

Hello, just a minute

Hello, Yeah, uh huh, yep….

Hi

Hot

Hot Water

I like that

I love Dayo

I love you

I see you

I’ll be right back

I’m Sorry

I’m on the Computer

I’m in the Computer

Ice Cream Ummmmmmmm

It’s Hot Dayo

It’s ok Jake

Jake

Jake No

Jake, it’s ok

Juice

Just a second

Just wait

Kiss

Kisses

Gimme Kiss

Laughing Hahahahahahahahahaha

Lasagna

Lets eat

Lets feed the dogs

Lets get a bone

Lets get some cereal

Lets go night night

Lets make a Sandwich

Lets make coffee

Lets get some Chips

Lets take a bath

Lets take a shower

Lets Vacuum

Lets get some juice

Lets go watch TV

Lets go watch a movie

Lets Vacuum

Like That?

Mommies in the Garage

Mommies outside

Mommies in the Brdroom

Mommy loves Dayo

Mommy Vacuums

Night

Night Night Jake

Nine

Nine One One

No

No Bite

No!

Ok

One

Open the door

Ooooooaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh uuuuuuooooooohhhhhhhhh, Yawn

Paper

Peanut

Peanut Butter

Peeka, Peeka, Peeka Boo

Peeka, Peeka, Peeka Boo, I see You

Peekaboo

Peel the Potatoes

Potato

Pretty Boy

Pretty Cool

Put my Shoes on

Let me go put my shoes on

Saaaweet

Sandwich

Scratches

See ya later

Seven

Sing

Shoot!

Sorry

Sorry Jake

Sorry Chloe

Six

Sneeze

Stay

Stay There

Soup

Lets get some soup

Step up

Sweet

Ten

Thank You

That’s better

There, that’s better

There’s Mommy

Three

Tickle

Tickle, Tickle, Tickle

Toy

Turn the light on

Turn the Water off

Turn the Water on

Two

Uh Oh

Vacuum

Vacuum, Vacuum, Vacuum

Wait, it’s too hot

Walnut

Wanna Almond

Wanna Beak Rub

Wanna Cracker

Wanna go outside

Wanna go to bed

Wanna go for a walk

Wanna go night night Jake?

Wanna Kiss

Wanna see outside

Wanna take a bath

Wanna Vacuum

Wanna watch a movie

Wanna watch TV

Wanna Tickle

Want Out

Want some Apple

Want some Juice

Wash my hands

Wash the bowls

Wash mty hands

Watch Out!

Water

Want some water

Want a cracker

What a Pretty Bird

What are you doing?

Where did He Go

Where did Kim Go

Where did Mommy Go

Where did Mommy Go

Where’s Bentley

Wheres Jake

Whistle

Whoa!

Whoops

Whoops, I sneezed

Wipe the beak

Wooooo

Wooo Hooo

Wow!

Yeah, good flying

Yeah, I like that

Yeeeaaaahhh

Yes I do

You walk like a duck

Your such a good boy!

You like that?

Zero

[reggieroo]

Wow.......that's a lot of words! Clever little guy.

[lovethatgrey]

Wowee! That's quite a repertoire Dan!! What a clever Mr. Dayo!!

[celticdance]

I love that you have it in alphabetical order :-)

[Talon]

There is no question that all the research and the intelligent scientific studies out there will tell you that African Greys are better talkers and of the highest intelligence. I agree. However, how much research has been done on Amazons? Now where near as much. Yes, As seen here, Dayo has an extensive vocabulary, as does Talon. She far out speaks Rikki. Nilah, my amazon can say even more than Talon, and she uses it in context as does Talon. Tonel quality, greys have that advantage, Nilah speaks in my voice and the various tones that I use, where as my greys will speak in the many tones of our family and mimic the bells, phone, dings, that they hear in their everyday life. As far as sheer volume, Amazons can far out speak many greys. Just search U-tube and you will see they can do more than simple phrases, they can sing entire songs.

 

Nilah does not mimic the sounds of the house as the greys do, but she does speak the sounds of our pets and humans exactly as we hear. This is my opinion, not meant to start a debate, but I am sure that those that own both species will say, that Amazons can be incredible talkers. Just like African Greys, some are incredible talkers, some barely speak if at all. I am certain this is true for Amazons as well. I just want to vocie my opinion, that I feel Amazons can be better talkers than Greys as the case with my flock.

 

This is based on MY experience of having BOTH species, Nilah,a Yellow Naped Amazon, 13 months old, I have had her since she was 6 months old. Talon, a Timneh African Grey, 4 years & 6 months old, I have had her since she was 8 1/2 weeks old.

Rikki, a Congo African Grey, 4 years & 4 months, have had her for 3 years.

[danmcq]

I would love to see some videos of Talon and Nilah.

 

I agree with you that there does not seem to be as much study and data on amazons speech. It would be great to see that happen.

 

On these lines, I would like to see more studies on all parrots.

[pearllyn]

Wow Dan! That is some impressive repertoire!

Alfie is absolutely amazing at mimicking sounds she hears, such as the phone, creaky door etc - you wouldn't know if it was her or the real thing. Her vocab is building steadily, but it occurs to me, as I watch those Youtube vids, that amazons (at least the ones I've seen) have the edge when it comes to sentences and songs.

I think they're all amazing anyway - supposing Alfie never spoke, she has one hek of a character - as does every single bird I've read about on this here forum - whatever the species!

[lovethatgrey]

I've been thinking about this topic and I would definitely agree with you Talon. I have heard from Ekkie and Cockatoo owners and their parrots are incredible speakers as well. They are also extremely intelligent when it comes to figuring out puzzles and escaping their cages somehow. I think that the leverage that african gresy have over other parrots in "general" is that they have very clear voices and are easier to understand. Today I highly suspect that other species of parrots are equally as intelligent as african greys, it just isn't always as obvious because they don't always "communicate" as well. jmo

Edited April 22, 2010 by lovethatgrey

[judygram]

That is one extensive list of words and phrases that Dayo says, he is one smart grey.

 

I don't have an amazon so I couldn't tell you about how intelligent they are but Penny has both and I don't doubt that Nilah can out talk both her greys. It would be great if she could get some of their vocalizations on video as I would love to hear them, how about it Penny!