How to Teach a Conure to Talk

Co-authored by Hayley Heartfield and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: August 18, 2022 References

Conures are not only fun to interact with, but they’re fun to talk to, too! Teaching a conure to talk can be a fun and rewarding project for both you and your bird. While many conures pick up words and phrases on their own, by training them to speak, you can speed up the process and teach them specific things to say on command. In this article, we’ll walk you through the training basics, as well as how you can build and maintain a great relationship with your bird.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Encouraging Your Conure to Talk

1
Repeat simple words to your conure. For example, you can say "hello" or "hi", or you can repeat its name. Repeating this same word, in the same inflection, will allow your bird to study the sound you want it to mimic.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- A conure's first words should be short, about 1 or 2 syllables.
2
Talk to your conure every day. Say the same word repeatedly to the bird every day. This consistency and repetition is the best way to get a conure to repeat the word back to you.^{[2]
X
Research source}
- Saying the same word to your bird every day can get boring. However, you need to be consistent if you want the bird to learn to talk! The more repetition, the more likely your bird is to repeat it.
- While there’s no specific amount of time you should talk to your bird, the more you do it, the better! Constant interaction will encourage them to talk back to you.
Advertisement
3
Reward your conure when it speaks. Get to know your bird a little and figure out what motivates them. For some birds, it’s a treat; for others, it’s a fun toy. If they do repeat a phrase or a word, give them a reward to let your bird know it did a good job.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- Using positive reinforcement is the most effective way of training any bird. Trying to use punishment will only damage your relationship with a bird, and will make them less likely to follow commands in the future.
- Clicker training is a great way to reinforce positive behavior. Whenever your bird exhibits good behavior, click a clicker and give it a treat. Eventually, your bird will come to associate the sound of the clicker with good behavior and a reward.
4
Record your voice and play it for your bird. If you want your bird to work on speaking even when you are not around, you can play your recorded voice for it. Playing the words you want your bird to learn for an hour or two each day will help the bird learn them more quickly.^{[4]
X
Research source}
- This can be very helpful if you are going to leave town for a while and your conure will be in the care of someone else.
- Don’t want to record your voice? Look up parrot training videos on YouTube. You can find a handful of videos with short, simple phrases that loop for hours.
5
Talk to your bird using longer phrases. After your bird has learned a few simple words, increase the complexity of the words you are using. You can also teach it simple sentences once it has gotten the knack of talking.^{[5]
X
Research source}
- Try teaching your bird to say "I love you," "I'm pretty," or "How are you?" These are fun sayings that may be enjoyable to hear your bird say.
6
Be patient, and give your bird time to learn. Conures in particular can sometimes take a while to get the hang of new words. Have some patience and let your bird advance at its own rate. If you keep talking to your bird and interacting with it daily, it will pick up words in time.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- Conures are known for their loud screaming voices, especially at dusk.^{[7]
  X
  Research source}

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Building a Relationship with Your Conure

1
Feed it nuts, berries, fruits, and vegetables. A fed bird is a happy bird! In the wild, conures eat mostly nuts and seeds, but they occasionally snack on flowers and grains as well. Keep plenty of food on-hand to strengthen your relationship with your conure and make them more likely to talk to you.^{[8]
X
Research source}
- Taking good care of your conure is essential for their health and happiness.
2
House your conure in a large enough cage. If you have a small conure, buy a cage that’s at least 24 × 16 × 20 in (61 × 41 × 51 cm). For a large conure, get a cage that’s at least 44 × 26 × 40 in (112 × 66 × 102 cm). This will give your active conure plenty of room to grow and play.^{[9]
X
Research source}
- Keeping your bird in a cage that’s too small could make them depressed, which makes them much less likely to talk.
3
Give your conure attention every day. Conures are social birds, and they don’t like to be left alone. Throughout the day, take your conure out of its cage and talk to it a lot. Play games with your conure and introduce new toys to entertain it and keep it happy.^{[10]
X
Research source}
- If a conure is bored, they’re sure to let you know—they might develop bad habits like chewing or screaming.
- Try scratching your conure’s head or softly tossing foot toys (balls or woven ropes) to keep them occupied.
4
Be gentle with your bird to build trust. In order to train your conure to speak, you need to build trust with it. A bird that is new to your home may not want to complete commands for you immediately. Talk to it in a gentle voice and quietly whistle or sing to the bird on a regular basis.^{[11]
X
Research source}
- Feed the conure treats by hand. This will show the bird that you are friendly and that you will give it things it likes.

Warnings

As your bird becomes better at talking, be prepared for it to repeat your words even when you are not talking to it directly. With this in mind, don't teach it to say anything that you wouldn't want it to repeat in front of other people.

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 9 Not Helpful 2