The african gray parrotalready considered by previous investigations as the animal The most intelligent non-human on the planet, he has enormous similarities with people, men and women, at the level of his intelligence to coordinate and relate words.
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A recent study has determined that the parrot african gray He is the best imitator of human speech, but he also reasons and does not repeat for the sake of repeating. This peculiar species of bird has a repertoire of up to 60 words.
For example, Alex, the most famous parrot in the world in this class, was able to say complete and meaningful sentences, such as “pay attention, calm down”either “bye, I’m going to have dinner, see you tomorrow”. Died in 2007, he could also imitate sounds of other animals, such as an owl, a rooster, a chimpanzee, or a pig.
Advanced level of social communication
Rafael Zamora, scientific director of Loro Parque Tenerife, points out that this ability to imitate the parrots compared to other birds is due to the advanced level of social communication that exists between them.
“They need to be in a group and maintain that contact, even at a distance, like a walki-talkie, with very subtle sounds that vary and it’s like a kind of language”. They are also capable of imitating both their predators and their victims, thus being able to mislead them.
African gray parrot. Photo: Stock.
Able to answer questions
Repeating is something innate for these parrots, but being able to answer what your caregiver is asking is a matter of training. Precisely, Irene, Alex’s caretaker, came to admit that she had never found a parrot with such a powerful intellectual capacity. “Training is a very important part because they have a direct relationship with the keeper, he is entertained and you give him a task that they would not have in nature”indicates the researcher.
Capabilities and qualities
In the Loro Parque de Tenerife, 1000 parrot chicks are born every year, it is the largest genetic reserve of parrots in the world, so it is not surprising that some follow in Alex’s footsteps.
“Out of every four or five pups, there is one that still does not have feathers and is already beginning to try to imitate sounds”says Rafael Zamora. In any case, the expert indicates that, like humans, each of these parrots They have different abilities and qualities. “If they are able to imitate your voice and use words at a specific moment, it is something more than surprising for a brain as small as that of a parrot.”
they look a lot like us
For the ones parrots can make these kinds of sounds, they have something similar to our vocal cords. “At the level of the trachea they have a device that is capable of vibrating, and even making two different sounds at the same time, something amazing”. This is not something unique to parrots, other songbirds also have it, such as the goldfinch or the canary.
system to communicate
But going back to the case of parrots, what distinguishes them from these birds is that their beak and tongue also help them to represent words and imitate sounds. Thanks to this, there are parrots that can follow musical rhythms or, as the scientific director of Loro Parque points out, the Palm Cockatoo, which is capable of using a trunk as a drumstick and thus calling its partner from a great distance.
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