For many people, choosing to own a parrot is a hilarious experience. These charming and cool animals are seen as one of the best that you could have around the house. However, most of us assume that buying a parrot is like having a wisecracking, hilarious pet around the place. Yet is it true? Can you actually sit and have a conversation with your parrot? Or is the conversation more one-sided than presumed?
Parrots do not really understand words
If you say something around a parrot enough, they might learn to master that particular phrase. They do not, though, have a clue what they are saying. That is why parrots have a reputation for repeating ill-timed opinions and thoughts we would probably rather keep to ourselves!
Parrots might ask you a relevant question, but it is almost a potluck. If a parrot asks you how you are, it will not have a clue what that means – or what your response means.
Parrots pair phrases with events and memories
If your parrot asks you how you are, it is because it links you entering the room to hearing that phrase. If you are the kind of person who usually walks into the room of the parrot and asks someone how they are, your parrot will “learn” that. Again, though, it does not matter how you answer: the parrot does not know what you are saying back.
Your parrot does not always say a real word
For some reason, our brains seem to enjoy playing tricks on us about parrots talking. Many times, our parrots say something ridiculous – to the point where it is not even a real word or phrase. Our brains, though, tend to fool us into assuming the parrot said something that we understand.
Parrots, then, more or less learn different phrases and words. They do not know what they mean, and using them in context comes down to potluck. It is actually more likely that your parrot asks you a confusing amalgamation of several phrases or words as opposed to an actual well-thought-out sentence.
So, is your parrot actually talking to you? Sadly not. It might seem like it sometimes, but parrots cannot hold a proper conversation. They can learn words, but it is not possible for them to understand what you are saying in response.