# Parrots imitating sounds **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [February 26, 2000, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parrots-imitating-sounds/1614 "2000-02-26T07:53:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2000, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parrots-imitating-sounds/1614/1 "2000-02-26T07:53:00Z")
The mail bag from Feb. 21 has a question about why parrots imitate sounds. The answer speculated about sexual competition, but didn’t make a good case for it. Many birds sing to establish territory. A bird that can imitate other species can drive them out of its territory. This can give the imitator an advantage if it scares away species that each the same types of food that it eats. Imitating predators would have a similar advantage. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2000, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parrots-imitating-sounds/1614/2 "2000-02-26T13:35:00Z")
Link to the article in question is: [Why do parrots imitate sounds?](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mparrot.html) ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2000, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parrots-imitating-sounds/1614/3 "2000-02-29T05:34:00Z")
Current research suggests that parrot communication may be much more complex than that. Check out the work of Dr. Irene Pepperberg and her African Gray Parrot named Alex. Her work would suggest that Parrot communication is much more complex than previously thought. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2000, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parrots-imitating-sounds/1614/4 "2000-02-29T21:52:00Z")
You didn’t give a link or book for her. I’ve heard about her parrot. Fascinating. ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2000, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parrots-imitating-sounds/1614/5 "2000-03-07T22:26:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Check out the work of Dr. Irene Pepperberg and her African Gray Parrot named Alex. Here is a link for a recent news article. Very interesting… but I would like to see an independant study done to make sure the parrot isn’t picking up on some (possibly subconcious) non-verbal cues from Dr. Pepperberg. [http://www.abcnews.go.com/onair/CloserLook/wnt\_000303\_CL\_parrot\_feature.html](http://www.abcnews.go.com/onair/CloserLook/wnt_000303_CL_parrot_feature.html) * * * My board got hacked and all I got was this lousy sig file… ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2000, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parrots-imitating-sounds/1614/6 "2000-03-07T23:28:00Z")
Here are two short articles from Scientific American on the subject. Her work was featured in the last Science News or Scientific American (can’t remember which.) [Interview with a parrot](http://www.sciam.com/0496issue/0496scicit06.html) [Talking with Alex](http://www.sciam.com/specialissues/1198intelligence/1198pepperberg.html)