We’ve already talked about rainbow parrots. Today, let’s turn out attention to another weather-related birdie. Umbrella parrots are not as colorful, but they impress with their majestic white shine. If their beauty does not convince you, I’m sure their high intellect and empathy will be just the right push towards buying this bird.
Umbrella cockatoos are highly intelligent birds. They can be trained in a variety of skills. One of them is human speech imitation. Umbrella parrots can talk, so to say. They need plenty of consistent training and devotion from the owner. This parrot does not have the most precise mimicry skills and can learn around 50 words and small phrases, though. Umbrella parrots will impress you more with their tune than their speaking skills.
As always with parrots, each bird is a unique case. They have varied individualities and intelligence levels. Some umbrella cockatoos will never go beyond a couple of words; others will even say a full sentence. However, this bird will impress you with puzzles and other skilled tricks. Plus, the one thing that these birds excel at is empathy and bonding. An umbrella cockatoo is a highly affectionate parrot that likes cuddles and spending time with its owner.
Now, in more detail about teaching cockatoos to talk.
Can Umbrella Cockatoos Learn to Talk?
Umbrella cockatoos are intelligent parrots. However, unfortunately, they are not the best talkers. If you are searching for a parrot solely for this purpose, you can benefit more from an African Grey. Or the multitude of other talking parrots.
In general, umbrella parrots can learn to speak only a few words or short phrases. In the wild, these parrots are not used to mimicking other noises. Instead, they use their own screeching noises to communicate. Thus, they don’t have effective speaking skills.
Plus, their imitation will still be filled with their natural sounds. A talking umbrella cockatoo sounds not as pretty as other talking parrots with better mimicry skills.
Can Eclectus Parrots Talk? How Should I Teach Them
How to Teach Umbrella Cocatto to Speak?
If you get this beauty and want to teach it human words, you can still do that with proper consistency and dedication on your part.
Take your time, and don’t give up on the bird if it doesn’t start talking the day and even week. It may need more time than that. Here are a few simple rules on how to effectively teach a parrot:
- Start with one simple word. The easiest is “hello” and “hi.” Repeat it clearly and in a quiet environment. Make sure your pet feels comfortable in the surroundings.
- Talk directly to the parrot. Of course, there’s a chance that the bird will catch on the word from afar, but it’ll pay closer attention if you come to the cage and talk to the parrot directly. Thus, its attention will be directed solely on you.
- Spend time teaching the bird every day. Consistency and patience are the key elements. Plus, your bonding with the pet will be stronger, and your mental health balanced.
- Turn on some music. Cockatoos gladly mimic tunes that they hear every day. The bird will happily chirp it as a pro musician for you. This will become an excellent addition to the word and phrases vocabulary of your pet.
Overall, try spending as much time with your pet as you can. Parrots are social creatures in general, but the umbrella cockatoo is even more so. This is a highly lovable bird that likes to spend time with its family. As the bird is happy, it’ll learn all the words more eagerly.
Just be patient. It may take weeks and even months.
Are Umbrella Cockatoos Loud?
A fair question for any parrot.
Yes, an umbrella cockatoo is a loud bird.
In the wild, these parrots use vocalization to communicate with their flock over long distances. And their screams and screeches are not “soft as feathers.” They are loud and a bit deafening.
Obviously, the bird will also keep its natural instincts at your home. This is why the umbrella is not the best choice for an apartment. It’ll do better in a house, preferably with remote neighbors.
You can also minimize its screeching! (But not eliminate fully.) The bird will become more agitated when you are not around. Remember, this is a social bird; it needs attention from you. If not, it’ll scream for you out of boredom and frustration.
Plus, if the bird doesn’t like something or feel comfortable, it can use vocalization to let you know.
So, by learning your parrot’s needs, you drastically decrease the noise volume of your pet. If it’s happy, it’s quieter. It can even be chirping that tune you teach it at happy times.
One thing you won’t be able to change – is the umbrella’s random shrieks of excitement.
Are Umbrella Parrots Easy to Train Speech?
No, umbrella cockatoos are hard to train compared to the more talkative parrots with better mimicry abilities.
But this is still an intelligent bird. It’s just that its talents lie in a slightly different direction. So, don’t forget to include other types of mental activity aside from speaking lessons. There are lots of “gaming” toys for parrots that develop their skills that you can buy or create yourself! Check a few YouTube videos on what to offer parrots.
Overall, I’d just start the session with simple socialization or cuddling. And as the parrot satisfies its empathetic nature, you can start teaching it something. Take a small break in between with a peekaboo or singing.
In Conclusion
An umbrella parrot is a lovable beauty. This is a clever parrot overall but not the best talker. You can still teach the bird up to 50 words and phrases and different tunes. But that will require your attention and consistent training.
