I often wonder why my Charley (as an example!) picks up human language yet doesnt mimic other birds. There is a wonderful Butcher Bird who sings his pretty song without fail every morning, not far from the window. Magpies also warble their lovely song throughout the day. I thought for sure Charley would pick that up. But no. He makes no attempt. Yet I walk up to his cage a few times and say "Its time for bed" and ... lo and behold... a few days later.. the little guy sits on his perch saying very clearly "its time for bed!!! bad..... bad..... boy!! hello sweetie!! Give us a kiss!"

 

I find it bizarre that he mimics my voice almost perfectly, yet he doesnt pick up the song of other birds, especially those who are such regular "visitors". The baby magpies currently "cry" for food all through the day, yet Charley does not "cry' along with them. Instead he sits here and speaks his human/budgie language.

 

I wonder if it is a natural thing that they dont, otherwise wouldnt all the budgies (and parrots) in the wild have the same "song" as all the birds around them and not their own "budgie speak"? I wonder if it is the human sounds that are easier for him to pick up than bird sounds.

 

Has anyone else noticed similar "budgie behaviour"????

I beileve your budgie has tuned in to your sounds and actions and thus is picking up the talking more so .

I have been to a budgie auction where all you could here in the entire hall was this one budgie calling above the rest with the call of an eastern rosella it was quite funny and as plain as day to here , I do believe they can mimic other birds if they choose to tune into the sounds they produce.

Sounds like you will have a real chatterbox on your hands. :rip:

I beileve your budgie has tuned in to your sounds and actions and thus is picking up the talking more so .

I have been to a budgie auction where all you could here in the entire hall was this one budgie calling above the rest with the call of an eastern rosella it was quite funny and as plain as day to here , I do believe they can mimic other birds if they choose to tune into the sounds they produce.

Sounds like you will have a real chatterbox on your hands. :hap:

We have a newish Blue Princess parrot male that my husband swears has been raised with a galah as he calls out in Galah language :rip:

I see! that could be the explanation. Charley has virtually grown up hearing my voice and has become so atuned to it, that the bird noises he may hear are now not quite as predominant as my voice is. He does make some bird noises but mostly uses "words". I guess like humans, budgies can have different talents.

 

Charley seems to have inherited the "speaking" gene!! At the same time however, he also seems to have inherited a "clumsy" gene, when performing his acrobatics he often hangs precariously from one claw, not able to work out what to do next, so after hanging there for some length of time... he clumsily falls head first to the floor of his cage (doesnt seem to hurt his head, just his pride!). So I guess what they lack in one area, they make up in another!

 

I know this is alll very "psychological" thinking but I find budgie behaviour so incredibly interesting!! They are such intelligent little bundles of feather!!! I can just sit and watch them for hours, not just mine but can spend hours in a petshop at the "budgie" cages, watching them socialise. I live in a flat and really envy you guys with aviaries!!!

:ygbudgie: I am babysitting a couple of budgies for 3 months and they LOVE to talk!! Problem is that the language spoken at home is Chinese!! I know they are saying something to me but the only english I can get out of it is budgie, budgie and echo, echo! But they do chat away!

Thats cute.. multi cultural budgies!! how clever that they can speak "chinese"!!!!

I think the reason is that your bird, being kept by you for a long time has become “fixed” on you as you are it’s world so it pays particular attention to you & mimics you. All pets are a bit sort of crazy & probably think they are humans more than what they really are, if the wild birds were it’s only world it would mimic them also.