Can Conures Talk? (How to Teach a Conure to Talk)

Last Updated on March 11, 2024 by Ali Shahid

I find parrots one of the most beautiful bird species, and getting one with talking abilities is the cherry on top. The conure is often known as the clown of the parrot family and makes a great pet. However, can conures talk?

Conures can talk, but they are not as good as other talking parrots like cockatoos and African greys. Although they have a limited vocabulary compared to other parrot species, they are capable of learning a few words and phrases.

Conures usually say a few words, and some have a much bigger vocabulary. A conure typically has the capacity to learn approximately ten words. They can mimic human voices, although their imitation is not as clear as that of an African grey parrot.

People who own conures are likely to describe their birds’ energetic, fun, and affectionate natures before they talk about their talking abilities. 

Do conures talk?

The conure is one of the least prolific talkers in the world, with a limited vocabulary. Their clarity isn’t as good as African Grey Parrots. You can tell that you are listening to a bird when you hear a conure’s voice.

Visitors who are not familiar with birds are not likely to recognize speech until you point it out. Even though conures don’t have a lot of vocabulary, they are capable of mimicking human sounds such as laughter and sneezes.

Occasionally, Nanday conures mimic human speech without actually using words, as babies do when getting ready to speak. While you are on the phone or face to face with others, the birds keep babbling: charming, but distracting.

How Rich is Conures in Vocabulary?

Talking-Poll conducted a survey to explore conure vocabulary. According to the survey, 80 percent of conures were capable of speaking at least a little bit.

In terms of average vocabulary, Aratinga conure species such as the cherry-headed conure appear to hold an advantage over their counterparts. Overall, male conures appeared to have a slight advantage in vocabulary.

In addition to their striking coloration, Aratinga conures have unique voices that many describe as “ear-splitting.”

Generally, the Pyrrura conures with more subtle colors, such as green cheeks and maroon bellies, are quieter. However, the bird with the largest vocabulary in the conure talking poll was a quieter green-cheeked female conure.

What Age Do Conures Talk?

In general, Conures begin talking between 3 months to one year. As birds have a soft, gravelly voices, you may not notice that they are speaking to you immediately.

Communication with flock members is a favorite activity of most conures. They communicate by chirping, whispering, purring, and mumbling.

Can female conures talk?

A female conure is capable of speaking. Even though they don’t talk as much as males, they can still learn many words. In general, female conures are less vocal and subdued than male conures, so they don’t talk as much.

However, female conures can be great talkers if they’re properly trained and socialized.

Can you Teach Conures to talk?

Yes, you can teach conures to talk. However, you should be aware that they would not speak like a human. Apart from that, it takes time to teach a parrot to talk. It may take days, months, or even years to complete.

All you need to do is be patient with your conure. Aggressive behavior from your side will negatively affect your relationship with your conure and make matters worse. The positive aspect of teaching a conure to talk is that it can be a rewarding and enjoyable experience for both you and the bird.

Although most conures learn words and phrases on their own, training them to speak can speed up their learning process. Alternatively, you can ask them to say specific things at your command.

How to train a conure to talk?

The best way to get your bird talking to you is to talk to it. Similar to babies learning to speak through being spoken to, conures want to talk to you in their language.

Therefore, you can give your budding talker input by commenting on treats, toys, or anything else he/she does.

Your conure may surprise you with a completely unexpected phrase instead of the friendly words you’ve deliberately repeated for weeks.

Here is how to teach a conure to talk.

• Talk to your conure in simple words. Simply say “Hey” or “Hello” or repeat the name. If you repeat this word in the same tone, your bird will learn to mimic your sound
• Every day, repeat the same phrase to the bird. If you are consistent and repetitive, the conure will repeat the word back to you
• Find out what motivates your bird and get to know it a little better. When your bird repeats a phrase or word, reward it by giving it a treat.
•  You can play your recorded voice for your bird if you want it to practice speaking when you are not around. Your bird will learn the words faster if you play them for an hour or two a day.
•  As your bird learns more words, make them more complex. Once it’s able to talk, you can start teaching it simple sentences.
• Conures may take some time to learn new words. Be patient and allow your bird to progress at its rate. If you talk to your bird daily and interact with it, it will eventually learn your words