African Grey parrots stand out not only as some of the most intelligent birds worldwide, but also as one of the smartest animal species overall. These remarkable creatures can learn a vast vocabulary of words and showcase impressive cognitive skills by recognizing colors, shapes, quantities, and even performing basic math. It might sound a bit millennial, but one could argue that the average African Grey parrot is sharper than me before my morning coffee!
Meet Symon, the clever African Grey parrot who is diligently honing her counting abilities. She’s so dedicated to learning that she practices counting even outside of her lessons, and it seems like her efforts are paying off! In a recent counting exercise, Symon stumbled initially but instead of giving up, she calmly started over and successfully counted all the way up to five without assistance. While her pronunciation of “five” might need fine-tuning (it comes out as “spy”), her ability to recognize and rectify her mistake is impressive. What a clever bird!
Symon’s intelligence was praised by @diehunsrueckbande as she successfully counted. “Good girl!” they commended. “She can count higher than me,” joked @amazingautisticoddball. I can relate!
When Parrots Excel Beyond Mimicry
Like other talking birds, African Grey parrots learn to speak by imitating sounds they hear regularly. With dedicated training from their owners, including lessons on specific phrases or behaviors like counting, parrots often repeat what they’ve learned to reinforce their understanding. African Greys exhibit strong language retention abilities, particularly when they are happy and engaged in training. On a humorous note, they can also memorize and recall less desirable sounds like swear words.
While some skeptics argue that talking pet birds merely mimic without comprehension, African Grey parrots have showcased understanding of complex and abstract concepts through their speech. Alex the Grey Parrot was particularly notable for his counting skills, being able to count up to six (and working on seven and eight) while comprehending simple addition and recognizing objects placed in front of him. Most astonishingly, Alex demonstrated some grasp of the concept of “zero,” an abstract concept for animals representing the absence of something. Alex’s understanding, albeit potentially different from human understanding, of “zero” is truly remarkable.
Despite ongoing mysteries surrounding parrot cognition, the intelligence displayed by parrots like Alex continues to astound researchers and enthusiasts alike.
Observing African Grey parrots such as Symon engaging in counting tasks is both enlightening and compelling, revealing their cognitive abilities that go beyond mere mimicry. It is fascinating to gain insight into Symon’s thought processes, even when he is seemingly engaged in a mundane activity like practicing counting skills.
