How long it takes you to understand what your parrot is talking about?

I mean: human talking. Budgies and Chico talk birds only.
Lucky is talking, but I have a hard time to understand what he is talking. So far he is good at repeating me b.....ing at Chico,
Pretty Bird,
What you doing?
What's the matter?
Chico,
Que Pasa?
Good Bird,
Lucky
I know he is talking more, but I can't understand that. It takes time to understand them?

Que pasa?

OH yeah! It takes time! They have to practice for a while to get the words right. It's funny listening to Bucky practice his "talking." We'll be in the other room, and we'll hear him say something we can't understand, and he'll say it over and over again slightly differently each time. It may be a few weeks before we're able to understand what he's been trying to say.

If he's practicing, in other words, mostly talking to himself... or as Cal says, "just making friggin NOISE!", I just let him talk without trying to talk back (unless I've figured out what he's trying to say, then I'll say the word he's using so he has something to copy). If he's using the word I don't understand and talking TO me, I'll try and mimic it back to him as close as I can, sometimes I'm able to figure out what he's trying to say that way.

I went through a phase thinking I wouldn't enjoy having a bird that spoke, that it would be kind of creepy, but I REALLY like having Bucky around. His speaking voice is soooo cute! It's like a really cute Donald Duck kind of voice - except better. JJ hasn't said anything more than "step-up." I don't think she'll ever be one of the talking birds, which is fine - that's not why I got her. I got her to be pretty and cause problems, and she's fulfilled THOSE roles 1000% already ... and she's not even a year old! The rest is bonus time! LOL!

But anyway, to answer your question again, There's not a magic answer. It takes as long as it takes... And what's been funny with Bucky is that we'll hear him say something very distinctly one time, then never say it again... So who knows what goes on in their head? They're crazy, they're birds!

I think it depends on how often you're around the bird. I'm convinced that no one else would ever be able to understand Piper or Cheney Bird, but since I'm here with them all day, I can. Piper babbles a lot and practices what sounds like "pretty bird" or "pretty Piper." Cheney Bird sounds like he says "pretty bird", "hey birdy", "Piper" and "step up". I'm not convinced they actually say any of those, but more that it's what I want to hear, lol.

GlassOnion wrote:

Que pasa?

Regular. ¿Y tu?

Sorry, couldn't resist. Basically "How's it going?" in Spanish.

It does take time. I also think that one can help the process along by guessing what it's supposed to be and saying it back.

I'm very afraid Scooter has started throwing F-bombs and I have no idea how he learned that! That one I don't repeat. All I need is a small green bird that swears like a sailor.

VickiNumbers wrote:

(...) His speaking voice is soooo cute! It's like a really cute Donald Duck kind of voice - except better. JJ(...)

You have me here! Couldn't find a better expression by myself!

SnS, I'm afraid, that Lucky will come also with some F... bombs in Spanish/Polish