Parrots make great pets and companions, especially if they are capable of talking and mimicking human speech. But not all talking parrots are created equal. Some talk better, and others speak louder. I’ve ranked the best and most popular species of talking parrots according to the continent from which they descend: Africa, Australia, Asia, North America, and South American.
All parrots belong to the order of Psittaciformes, and this order contains three families, from which we get more than 350 species of parrots. The first family (Psittacidae) includes a wide range of parrot species such as the budgie, African grey, lorry, Macaw, conure, and Amazon. The second family (cacatuidae) includes the cockatoos such as the palm cockatoo, galah, and cockatiel. The last family (Strigopidae) includes the New Zealand parrots such as the kaka.
Talking parrots from African
Here are the top African talking parrots:
1. The African Grey
This parrot is known for its intelligence and high ability to mimic human speech. The African grey has two main species. The first species is the grey timneh (Psittacus timneh) native to the Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone. The second species is the Congo grey (Psittacus erithacus), and it is larger than the timneh and more popular for breeding. The average life span of the African grey ranges from 30 to 40 years.
2. Senegal parrot
The Senegal parrot (poicephalus senegalus) is also considered a talking parrot, but it can’t compete with the African grey. It is native to West Africa, and thus it lives in several countries such as Senegal, the Ivory Coast, and Sierra Leone. The Senegal parrot is one of the calmest parrots and yet it is playful. Life span ranges from 25 to 30 years and the scientific name is Poicephalus senegalus.
Talking parrots from Asian and Australian
The top talking Asian parrots are:
3. Eclectus
Considered one of the best talking parrots and has a high ability to memorize song lyrics, but the performance depends on training from a young age. The male is always green while the female is red. It is native to Australia, Indonesia, New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. Life span ranges from 30 to 40 years and can live up to 60 years.
4. Cockatoo
There are 21 species of cockatoos, including but not limited to white and black cockatoos, the palm cockatoo, cockatiel, and galah. Some species live in Australia while others live on the Indonesian islands and in New Guinea. White and black cockatoos are loud species compared to other parrots, and they can learn some words. Lifespan ranges from 30 to 45 years old, and the scientific name depends on the species such as the Cacatua galerita (shown in the image above)
5. The Indian ring-necked parrot
Although not considered one of the best talking parrots, it is a very talkative bird if it is taught to speak and can repeat clear sentences. It is also a playful and sensitive bird that requires attention. Lifespan ranges from 25 to 30 years, and its scientific name is Psittacula krameri manillensis.
6. Lory
Relatively small parrots, lories are sociable, talkative, active, and full of enthusiasm. They are native to southeast Asia and parts of Australia. There are several subspecies of lories, the most famous of which is the red lory parrot, followed by the rainbow lorikeet. Lifespan is from 15 to 20 years, and its scientific name depends on its subspecies, such as Trichoglossus moluccanus.
7. Galah parrot
It is one subspecies of the cockatoo parrots and one of the preferred ones for breeding, but the ability of this bird to speak is limited compared to other types of parrots. It is native to Australia, with a life span of 30 to 45 years, and its scientific name is Eolophu roseicapilla.
8. Budgie
It is one of the most popular parrot species that are easy to keep and breed in cages. They are considered talking birds but not the best unless they are trained from a young age to do so, given that males are better learners than females. However, there is no guarantee that males can talk even after rigorous training. Learn 10 interesting facts about budgies here.
Talking parrots from North and South America
The top talking Central and south American parrots include:
9. Amazon parrots
A medium-sized parrot and has many subspecies, the most famous of which is the yellow-naped Amazon parrot. It has a high ability to mimic human speech and communicate with humans. It is native to southern Mexico and Central America, and it can live 30 years or more.
10. Macaw
It is a smart, beautiful, and large parrot native to Maxico and central America. According to National Geographic, there are at least 17 macaw subspecies, some of which are on the endangered list. What sets the macaw parrot from other parrots is its large and wide beak.
The macaw can make loud noises, and it is good at talking. However, this depends on subspecies as some can speak better than others. Life span ranges from 30 to 45 years, and some subspecies can live up to 60 years in the wild.
11. Monk parakeet
The monk parakeet is a relatively small parrot, but very intelligent and sociable, and it can speak a sea of words. Its native land is mainly Argentina, and it can live up to 30 years.
12. Conure
It is not the best talking parrot, and it is not the worst either. Some species live in the Amazon, and others live on the Caribbean islands in Central America. Average life ranges from 20 to 25 years, and he can live to the age of 40 years.
What is the best talking parrot to buy?
In conclusion, given all the information presented, I would personally rank the top four talking parrots as follow:
- African gray
- Amazon
- Macaw
- Eclectus
And the rest follow…so which one would you choose?