Conures are popular pet birds known for their intelligence, playfulness, and ability to talk. There are several different conure species that make great pets, but some are better talkers than others. So which conure talk the most and makes the best talking pet?
What Makes a Good Talking Conure?
There are a few key factors that influence a conure’s talking ability:
- Intelligence – Conures are naturally smart birds. But some species tend to be more keenly intelligent and better at mimicking speech.
- Social nature – Conures are flock birds that bond strongly to their owners. More social, interactive conures tend to be better talkers.
- Vocalization – Some conure species are simply more vocal by nature. The more vocal the bird, the better it can mimic and learn words and phrases.
- Individual personality – Like people, some individual birds have more aptitude and interest for learning to talk than others within the same species.
The Top Talking Conure Species
Based on intelligence, social bonding, natural vocalizations and ability to mimic human speech, these are generally considered the best talking conure species:
Yellow-Collared Macaw
Though commonly still referred to as a conure, the yellow-collared macaw is now classified as a mini macaw. But this larger conure species is renowned for its clear speech and talking ability. They are exceptionally smart, social, and vocal birds that form very close bonds with their owners. Yellow-collared macaws have a loud, piercing natural call they often imitate in their “speech.”
Green-Cheeked Conure
The green-cheeked conure is one of the most popular conure pets. These small parrots are highly intelligent, social, and naturally vocal birds. Green-cheeks mimic speech very well and clearly and are able to learn sizable vocabularies of 100 words or more.
Sun Conure
The bright yellow sun conure is another species well-known for learning to talk. They are loud, active birds that thrive on interaction with their owners. Sun conures are chatty, inquisitive birds that pick up words and phrases easily. Their loud, shrill natural call carries over into their human speech.
Jenday Conure
Jenday conures are closely related to and very similar in temperament and speech ability to sun conures. Jendays are energetic, vocal birds that regularly mimic household sounds and human speech. Their natural calls are louder than many other conure species.
Nanday Conure
Nanday conures, also known as black-hooded parakeets, are another large conure with a reputation as an excellent talker. They are bright, social, and noisy birds that make very endearing pets. Nandays are naturally louder and more vocal than other conures.
Other Good Talking Conure Species
While the above are generally considered the best talking conure species, other types can become good talkers as well. Some other conures with talking potential include:
- Dusky-headed conure
- Peach-fronted conure
- Blue-crowned conure
- Mitred conure
- Red-masked conure
The talking ability really comes down to the individual bird’s personality and bonding with its owner. Even in the best talking species, some individuals may learn to say only a few words or none at all. While other birds of less chatty conure species surprise owners with their impressive vocabularies.
Teaching a Conure to Talk
While some conures start mimicking speech on their own, most need regular training sessions to learn words and phrases. Here are some tips for teaching a conure to talk:
- Start young – Conures under two years old generally pick up speech best.
- Use clear, consistent words – Repeat the same words and short phrases over and over.
- Short sessions – Training for just 5-10 minutes a few times day works better than long sessions.
- Use conure calls – Incorporating whistles and conure flock calls helps them learn speech.
- Tap their beak – Gently tapping their beak as you say a word can aid learning.
- Use a mirror – Letting them watch themselves in a mirror as you talk often boosts results.
With regular short training sessions while young, even naturally quiet conures can sometimes learn 20 words or more. Though for most pet owners, the amusement of having a talking conure is about the quality of their speech not quantity of vocabulary.
Do All Conures Talk?
While the species above are certainly the best talkers, individual conures of any type have the potential to mimic speech. However some generalizations can be made about conures and speech ability:
- Smaller conures – Pygmy conures like bourke’s parakeets generally don’t learn to talk beyond a word or two.
- South American – Species from South America seem to talk better than other regions.
- Active, noisy – More vocal, energetic, demanding conures tend to be better talkers.
- Social flock birds – Conures tightly bond and mimic flock mates, including owners.
- Male conures – Male conures often learn to talk better than females.
- English talkers – Species from English speaking regions may be better mimics.
But even within the best talking species, some individuals may only ever learn to mimic whistles and household noises rather than speech. While an especially gifted peach-fronted conure might have a vocabulary to rival an African grey parrot. So the ability and inclination for speech ultimately comes down to the individual bird.
Choosing a Talking Conure
If you want a talking pet conure, certain species greatly increase your chances. But there are a few other tips for selecting an individual bird with talking potential:
- Listen to parents – Try to observe and listen to parent birds if possible.
- Vocal chicks – More vocal, noisy babies often grow into better talkers.
- Active and interactive – Choose the most playful, inquisitive, demanding chick.
- Hand-fed is best – Hand-fed babies bond more strongly to human owners.
- DNA gender testing – DNA tests can confirm gender as males often talk more.
But also remember an outgoing hand-fed baby that seems likely to talk may still never say a word. While a shier chick could end up an impressive mimic. In the end, you need realistic expectations of speech ability when choosing a conure.
Talking Conure Care
To set your chatting conure up for success, be sure to provide:
- Big cage – Get the largest cage size possible to keep an active, vocal conure happy.
- Enrichment – Provide plenty of toys, swings, perches and activities.
- Socialization – Spend quality daily interaction time with your conure.
- Training – Do regular short 5-10 minute training sessions working on speech.
- Proper diet – Feed a high quality pelleted diet with fruits, veggies, and proteins.
- Vet checks – Have an avian vet examine new birds and do annual checkups.
A properly socialized, well-cared for conure is more likely to thrive and reach their talking potential. Interact frequently with your bird, repeating words and rewarding speech attempts with treats and praise.
Potential Conure Speech Problems
While conures can make excellent talking pets, there are some potential problems to be aware of with conures that talk:
- Noise – Conures are naturally loud birds, so be prepared for noisy screeching and speech.
- Inappropriate speech – Conures will mimic any words, so avoid swearing around them.
- Demanding attention – Talking conures can get quite demanding of attention.
- Feather damaging behavior – Lack of stimulation may cause bored conures to pluck.
- Territory issues – Talking conures may become aggressive or territorial.
Make sure everyone interacting with your conure uses appropriate language. Give your bird adequate cage room, stimulation and time out of the cage daily to prevent behavior issues. And if any issues do develop, consult an avian vet or animal behaviorist.
The Best Talking Conure Overall
If we have to choose one conure species that shines above the rest for speech potential, it’s the yellow-collared macaw. These mini-macaws are simply exceptional mimics. They have loud, clear speech and can acquire large vocabularies. Yellow-collared macaws also form incredibly close bonds with their human families. Their natural flock vocalizations and screeches make their speech quite lively and characterful. So for both clear talking ability and charming personality, a yellow-collared macaw is the best choice.
Conclusion
Conures are one of the best talking parrot types for pet owners. And while any individual conure may surprise you with speech skills, some species are naturally more inclined to learn mimicry. Loud, social, interactive conures like yellow-collared macaws, green cheeks, suns and Jenday’s are your best bet for a talking pet. With regular short training sessions, these intelligent parrots can learn vocabularies of 20 words or more and bring a lot of enjoyment to a household. Do your homework choosing the right species and individual bird. Then get ready to delight in your new life with a talking conure!
