Yes, crows can talk like parrots. They are highly intelligent and can be trained to mimic sounds, including English words. Crows have been trained to count aloud up to seven, and some can learn more than 100 words and up to 50 complete sentences. Some crows have even been known to mimic their owners’ voices to call dogs or taunt horses.
How Intelligent are Crows?
Crows are quite intelligent creatures and belong to the Corvid family which also includes Magpies, Ravens, and Jays. Their cognitive ability and communication skills have been compared to primates. They are counted among the smartest bird species.
Owing to their complex vocal organ, they can generate a wide range of sounds and these are known as syrinx. They also have the capability of imitating the sound as their vocal organ is similar to parrots. Crows can pick up sounds from the environment or any sound they encounter and can mimic it.
How Crows Mimic Sounds – Explained
Crows might not have the capability to understand human speech the same way a parrot can, but still, their voice is quite impressive. Based on the research conducted by the University of Cambridge, crows can say “Hello” and “Goodbye” if taught well.
They can also mimic the car alarms or the calls of other animals in the wild. It is believed that crows need the skill of mimicking so that they can communicate with their peers as they live in a complex social structure.
Why Do Crows Mimic Like a Parrot?
There are a few possible reasons why a crow mimic is similar to a parrot:
- Mimicking is a way of communicating with their peers and it acts like a signal for other crows, informing them about its presence.
- They can also blend in or avoid being detected by predators by imitating the sounds in the environment, which is also known as camouflage.
- Crows are also found to get engaged with other animals and show playful behavior, and this is shown through mimicking sounds.
- Crows are also known to be quick learners, so they can pick up sounds from the environment and mimic them.
How to Teach A Crow to Talk Like a Parrot?
Crows can be taught to mimic more than 100 words and 50 complete sentences. Here are the steps that you need to take, if you want to teach a crow to talk like a parrot.
- You need to expose the crow to the sound of a parrot, you can do this by placing the cages of both these birds in close proximity or by playing recordings. This will help the crow to pick up similar sounds like a parrot easily.
- You can provide the crow with positive reinforcement, such as presenting them with treats and praise or showing affection as they start to imitate the parrot.
- The art of learning to mimic cannot be accomplished in a day, you need to be patient and provide the crow several chances. So, allow the bird to take its own time and learn the skill.
- When you are training the crows, you need to keep a close eye on the bird’s way of interaction. You need to provide the bird with a safe and positive environment so that the bird can get the space to learn from observation.
- You must begin with simple words and use phrases such as “hello”, and “goodbye”, as these are easy to pronounce and the process also helps them to gain familiarity with mimicry.
- When you are teaching the crow, use words that have emotion and enthusiasm. Crows tend to pick up sounds that are interesting, engaging, and different from the regular ones.
- Starting the training process when the crow is still young as their receptive capability is higher compared to the older or adult crows. Thus, when the crows grow older, they will reach their maximum learning potential.
- You need to build a trust bond with the crow and for that successful training is necessary. Get to understand the personality of the crow, which will eventually help to build a positive relationship and you can engage the crow to train new behaviors.
Above all, you need to provide enough time, effort, and patience with the teaching and learning process.
How do Crows Communicate?
Crows living in the wild do not imitate human speech, rather they are heard to mimic the sounds in their surroundings. Other than this, they use their own vocalization and can be heard to communicate by “cawing”. Based on the situation, the cawing can vary and they also make other sounds.
If they caw repeatedly, sharply, and loudly, it is an indication of alarm or threat. Usually, a flock of crows start calling in a harsh manner, to warn each other, when they spot a predator nearby. There is also a type of cawing that has complex notes and it indicates that the crow has located any source of food.
Also, distinct sounds can be heard based on the type of food they have located, such as seed, fruit, etc. Crows make double-noted Caw or rattling sounds when they are trying to defend their territory. You can also hear soft cawing that continues for a minute and includes rattling and other varieties of sounds.
Crows are also heard to sing songs during social communication. They can also communicate with other birds and animals, which involves a different kind of cawing. Otherwise, they can mimic the bark of a dog, the hooting of an owl, or the chirping of any bird, and it depends on what they are exposed to.
Can Every Crow Mimic Like a Parrot?
No, every crow cannot mimic a parrot. The mimicking ability varies from one crow to another, which is quite similar to parrots. You can find some crows are extremely talented while others are not. If a crow is exposed to human communication or speech for a long time, then there is a possibility that the creature might learn to mimic.
Can All Parrots Mimic Sound?
No, all parrots cannot mimic sound and it is the African Grey Parrot, which has the ability to mimic human speech. However, the extent of mimicking sound depends on how long the bird has been exposed to the environment and what kind of sound.
