Conversation with an intelligent bird

Paco praises an apple, tells his flock-mate to behave, and asks for his mom.

Paco is a 3-year old blue-crowned conure (he was 2 when this video was taken). He uses words in context to express feelings, ask for what he wants, make comments, bond with his flock, and play. His vocabulary is small, but he uses it intelligently, expressively, and sometimes very creatively.

This video was taken with a 4 megapixel digital camera. My hand wanders a lot because I'm filming with one hand while trying to catch and control a cockatiel with the other (he is crawling all over me), and also at the beginning of the movie trying to give Paco an apple slice.

First you see Paco reacting to the apple I offer him. He says "Thank you" and "Yum!" Then Chulo the cockatiel hops off of me and onto Paco's cage. I try to get him to step onto my hand (off screen), and Paco tries to help me, telling Chulo to "Step up!" I offer Chulo some apple, and Paco responds enthusiastically to his friend eating. Finally Paco asks for his mom, who has gone outside.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Parrot
• talking
• blue
• crown
• conure

[Ramano87]

Look if i ask my dog to speak he will bark,really because he thinks he will get a reward for it.

Your bird say's apple and yum, and thank you. That' ain't a conversation if you repeat those words a lot in a specific situation together with rewards he will repeat those words. Because he got rewards for it.

The bird has copied words he linked to rewards, still very remarkable. But i wouldn't call it a converstation. Dind't want to offend you i believe parrots can do a lot more than we think.

[conuropsis]

When Paco tells the tiel to "step up" what reward is he after? When that parrot saw an infant choking and screamed "BABY MAMA!!" (saving the child's life) what treat did he want?

Birds talk because they want to COMMUNICATE - sometimes for a reward, sure, but also to warn of danger, to say "hi" or "goodbye," to express feelings, etc. Same w/non-verbal animals, like dogs. Pepperberg's work w/Alex has shown you can't reduce communication to operant conditioning.

Thx 4 yr reply! No offense taken

[Ramano87]

Real conversation ? Srry that wasn't a real conversation anyway nice vid you also take care of your birds :D

[conuropsis]

How would you define a "real" conversation?

[Barracuda340000]

very cute and sweet! Don't listen to the people who tell you its not a "real" conversation, or that they do it for treats. People who say that just don't understand the intelligence level of Paco nor the bond he shares with you.

[Edvahass]

That's incredible!

[Turbocane]

He reminds me of my Maddie.

[melissaroxx123]

cute!