# Making Magpies Talk

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-magpies-talk/218282>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 11, 2003, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-magpies-talk/218282 "2003-12-11T05:19:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Diane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2acd7d/32.png) [@Diane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diane)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-magpies-talk/218282/1 "2003-12-11T05:19:25Z")

</div>

I know this has been answered a few years ago, but I can’t find the thread.

Not that I would ever do it, but I have heard that you can teach a magpie to talk by snipping their tongues a bit when then are chicks.

True?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![milk\_milk\_lemonade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecccb3/32.png) [@milk\_milk\_lemonade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milk_milk_lemonade)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-magpies-talk/218282/2 "2003-12-11T09:19:56Z")

</div>

I can’t directly answer your question about magpies, but it is sometimes said that splitting a parrot’s tongue makes them talk better.

Of course, it is a barbaric practice that just plain doesn’t work.

[http://www.theaviary.com/s1295-20.shtml](http://www.theaviary.com/s1295-20.shtml)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-magpies-talk/218282/3 "2003-12-11T10:44:54Z")

</div>

no, NO, NO!

Do NOT _ever_ do anything to the tongue of a bird. If they able to mimic human speech they will do so without any such “assistance” at all. Splitting or cutting their tongue will only cause pain and suffering.

A magpie can learn to mimic human speech on its own. Whether or not a _particular_ bird will do so can not be predicted, since birds are individuals with varying degrees of talent in mimicry.