There are a few species of birds that are known for making vocalizations that sound like they are saying “pretty pretty”. The most common ones that come to mind are parrots, mynas, and mockingbirds. These vocal mimics are able to pick up on sounds and phrases in their environment and then re-create them in their own unique voice. So in the wild or in captivity, they may hear words or phrases repeated frequently enough that they start to replicate them in their calls and songs.
Parrots
Parrots, especially African grey parrots and Amazon parrots, are famous for their ability to mimic human speech and other sounds. They have vocal anatomy that allows them to produce a wide range of sounds that many other birds can’t. When they hear a phrase like “pretty pretty” repeated often, there’s a good chance a parrot will start saying it themselves. It’s one of their charming and fascinating behaviors that make parrots popular as pets.
Some specific examples of parrot species that may mimic “pretty pretty” include:
- African Grey Parrot – This intelligent species is renowned for its speech mimicry abilities. If an African grey parrot has an owner or trainer who uses the phrase “pretty pretty” frequently, the bird will likely pick it up.
- Amazon Parrots – Several Amazon parrots like the Yellow-naped Amazon and Blue-fronted Amazon are also excellent mimics. They love to copy words and sounds in their environment.
- Indian Ringneck Parakeet – The Indian ringneck parakeet is a smaller parrot species that can learn to mimic speech when kept as a pet.
- Budgerigar (parakeet) – Budgies can also mimic human speech at times, though they are not as adept at it as some larger parrot species.
Parrots have an excellent memory for sound associations and can maintain a wide vocabulary. So if “pretty pretty” is a phrase they hear often from a caretaker or family member, there’s a good chance even a parrot with limited speech skills will try copying it in their unique voice. The result may sound something like “purty purty”.
Mynas
Like parrots, myna birds are part of the mimic family. There are a few different myna species that are known for their ability to copy sounds and human speech. Some specific mynas that may mimic “pretty pretty” include:
- Hill Myna – The hill myna is a species found across parts of Southern Asia that is an adept vocal mimic. They can recreate many different sounds from their environment.
- Common Myna – The common myna has been introduced in many parts of the world beyond Asia and Africa. Like other mynas, they are good mimics.
- European Starling – While not technically a myna, the European starling is also a highly skilled mimic. They can pick up phrases and sounds from their surroundings with great accuracy.
Mynas learn to mimic speech in much the same way as parrots. They hear a sound or phrase repeated consistently, then start incorporating it into their own vocalizations. So mynas kept as pets or living near humans may hear “pretty pretty” used a lot and start vocalizing it themselves. The sound that comes out in their voice may be a bit hoarse or scratchy, but still recognizable as mimicking the phrase “pretty pretty”.
Mockingbirds
Mockingbirds are famous for the variety of sounds they can mimic. Their scientific name – Mimus polyglottos – even means “many-tongued mimic”. Found across North America, mockingbirds will copy sounds from other birds, insects, amphibians, mechanical noises, and even human speech.
Some mockingbird species known for their mimicry talents include:
- Northern Mockingbird – This species has the largest range and is most well-known for its ability to realistically mimic sounds.
- Bahama Mockingbird – An island species that mimics human speech and music in addition to local bird songs.
- Brown Thrasher – While not a true mockingbird, this species has similar mimicry abilities.
If a mockingbird overhears a person using a phrase like “pretty pretty” repeatedly, there’s a good chance it will incorporate an imitation of it into the medley of sounds it strings together. The mockingbird’s rendition may not sound exactly the same as the original source, but you can typically make out the words or sounds they are mimicking.
Why These Birds Mimic Speech and Sounds
Mimicry serves different purposes for parrots, mynas, mockingbirds, and other vocal mimics. Some key reasons these birds have evolved this talent include:
- Attracting mates – Males that can mimic novel sounds may have an advantage attracting female attention.
- Defending territory – Unique sounds and mimicry can help scare away competing birds.
- Avoiding danger – Some birds may mimic predators or other animals to sound threatening and avoid attack.
- Bonding with others – Some birds may mimic sounds to strengthen social bonds with mates, families, or human caretakers.
- Cognitive development – Vocal mimicry may help with intelligence and problem-solving skills.
So when a parrot or myna living with humans starts mimicking phrases like “pretty pretty”, it may help them interact and bond with their human companions in addition to picking up new sounds from their environment. For wild mockingbirds, the ability provides advantages like attracting mates and defending territories.
Other Bird Species Known to Mimic Speech
While parrots, mynas, and mockingbirds are the most recognized bird mimics, there are some other species capable of copying human speech and other sounds:
- Crows – Some crow species like Northwestern crows can mimic human phrases they hear.
- Ravens – Common ravens are also great sound mimics like their corvid cousins, crows.
- Lyrebirds – These unique Australian songbirds can mimic chainsaws, car alarms, gunshots, and more.
- Starlings – As mentioned above, starlings are adept vocal mimics as well.
- Orioles – The marsh blackbird species of oriole can copy simple words and sounds.
- Magpies – Black-billed magpies are reported to sometimes mimic human speech.
However, these species don’t have quite the same reputation for speech mimicry as parrots. Their vocalizations may pick up some simple sounds or phrases but usually won’t have extensive vocabularies like some parrots. Still, even a simple word or sound like “pretty” can stand out when coming from a bird not in the parrot family.
Conclusion
In summary, parrots are most strongly associated with speech mimicry and are the birds most likely to clearly say something sounding like “pretty pretty”. But mynas, mockingbirds, and some other species also have impressive mimicry abilities and may incorporate sounds like “pretty pretty” into their vocalizations if they frequently hear the phrase. These vocal mimics pick up speech from human environments or bond with caretakers and then creatively re-create the sounds in their own unique voices. So if you hear a bird in the wild or in captivity sounding like it’s saying “pretty pretty”, chances are it’s a parrot, myna, mockingbird, or other skilled mimic practicing one of the many vocalizations it has picked up from its surroundings.