Is this signs that he'll start talking soon??

[KareemaR25]

We've only had our Grey for two weeks but I've seen such progess with him. He is now 3 months old. I notice for the past week his voice changed. Before he use to have this very loud high pitch voice but suddenly his voice changed completely. It's not as loud and sort of....I don't know how to describe it...but it sounds like I would when I have a cold. These days he's making sounds as if he's saying something like a whole sentence. We don't understand anything it sounds like baby language. Is this normal? Is he just going through this because he'll start talking soon? Did you folks experience this with your bird? Thanks in advance for your help.

[dblhelix]

They do start mumbling and making sounds before they start to "talk", or use words we can understand. Much like human children they babble a lot at first as they learn to produce the various sounds. What you are describing sounds pretty normal to me. Most greys really start to talk at 1yr+, though many will start saying a few words even before 6 months. Most info indicates those that talk really take off around 1-2 years and then they start to use words in context at 2+ years. These are averages and there are exceptions on either side of these time intervals. Some never talk at all, but we love them just the same!

 

Kip followed this progression fairly close to the averages. She was saying "hello" and a few words around 6 months. Now at 15 months she says more than I can count and uses some words properly.<br><br>Post edited by: dblhelix, at: 2007/09/28 05:56

[Guest briansmum]

hi kareema. it is completely normal for them to make these noises, a great explanation from dblhelix. they mumble away to themselves like little robots!

 

 

this link is a video of my grey at almost 5 months doing when i think you are describing. the timescale dblhelix describes above it spot on, but it is on average. my greys first "hello" popper out a couple of weeks after i shot this video. he's almost 8 months now and the words are slipping out more and more.

 

so your little guy could speak in the next few weeks, or maybe not for another several months. he will keep you waiting, but it's worth it. like dblhelix said though, some never talk but they're still the same wonderful birds

[Toni]

Alcazar was born May 2007 and he started out w/ the sexy whistle so far I heard him say hello 4 times. He mummbles alot I ask him if he's calling me a bad name under breath.lol

[BMustee]

Mine is 6 months and I have only heard one Hello out of him, but he does use the sound of my voice to garble and mumble. He will make the same patterns of a sentance in this "tone language" of his and I can tell it's stuff like "i love you", "what are you doning?" and "Get out of that!" but it is not near being clear speech. It's their way of learning and you will hear it get better and better as time goes on.