Ask any parrot owner, and they will almost all say the same thing. They will tell you that of course their parrot understands what they say and understands the reasoning of conversation. Of course, there are plenty of skeptics as well. Is it really possible for a bird to reason out not just speech but conversation? This has been an issue debated for a long time. Many people wonder: does the parrot just repeat words and sounds that it hears or is it able to actually answer questions or respond to other factors in the environment?

There have been plenty of situations to provide research and research results to consider. Quite a few studies have been performed to determine just how much parrots can actually comprehend and reason out what is being said to them and what they are saying back. Two different types of situations should be considered in order to determine just what reasoning ability a parrot may have. These include question and answer situations and those including random vocalizations from the bird.

Do Parrots Mimic or Understand?

• To start with, consider the question and answer situation. Numerous parrots have been able to respond properly to questions. Many may say that this simply means that the bird just responds with the right phrase based on your question simply out of repetition and response to your praises. However, studies have shown that when the questions are altered slightly, many parrots are able to alter their response and respond properly to the question. This would indicate that the bird actually understands what is being said and what they are saying back.

• Next, consider the random vocalization. This type of study was simply about what the parrot was saying based on their environment. In numerous situations, the bird actually responded to something around it, not in a repetitive nature. Parrots have been known to tell a person “bless you” after a sneeze or to instruct the television to be quiet. These types of behaviors do not indicate a simple ability to repeat phrases. Instead, it indicates that the parrot is able to reason out the situation and respond appropriately.

• Another thing to note is that different parrots have different abilities of speech and reasoning. For some types, it is quite obvious that the bird is only able to repeat the sounds it hears. However, there are certain types that obviously can respond with reason. Some of the breeds that are known for their abilities include African Grey parrots, Parakeets and Macaws. If you want a bird that will be able to talk back to you, then consider these types of parrots.

The question remains. Can a parrot reason through and understand just what it is saying? With the numerous studies, the answer would indicate yes. In addition, if you speak to any parrot owner, they will be able to show you real life examples of how parrots are able to reason through situations and respond with the appropriate speech. Can your parrot understand? Chances are, it can. Of course it cannot manage normal human to human conversation, but it can certainly respond to your more than many people may think.