I have 2 CAGs -- both female. Gabby turned 3 this past September and Jello will be turning 3 this coming March. Jello has talked since she was 6 months old and has an amazing vocabulary and an uncanny ability to mimic the tone and inflection of my voice -- she sounds just like me! Gabby has never spoken words but mimics all kinds of sounds. Jello is very much a hands-off type grey -- she prefers to stand on my arm but does not like to be touched or petted. Gabby is the complete opposite -- she is a cuddlebug and will lay upside down in the palm of my hand and go into a trance as I stroke the feathers along her neck. 2 greys, very close in age, raised together by the same person and yet 2 completely different personalities and completely different sets of vocal abilities.

I think that the talking abilities of greys are way over-promoted and create unrealistic expectations among the public. Gabby's parents were both good talkers yet she is not. (I have no information on the speaking ability of Jello's parents.) As my experience with Gabby and Jello shows, some simply have the knack for speaking and others don't. It is impossible to predict. I, like you, would never think of parting with my non-speaking grey. She communicates just fine with me and is a very smart little girl with a ton of personality. I do wonder though how many greys are ignored, re-homed or surrendered to rescues due to the disappointment of their keepers in their lack of speaking ability.

I will tell you that I have a female umbrella cockatoo named Izzy who turned 4 this month. Up until this month, she has always spoken gibberish which I called "baby-talk". But in the last few days, she is saying pretty clearly "Hi Izzy" and "hello". I am very surprised that at 4 years of age, she is speaking her first words. I never expected this to happen. So who knows, maybe Ollie will learn to speak yet!

I completely understand what you're saying. When I first started toying with the idea of a larger parrot, I thought I wanted a B&G. Then I saw Einstein the grey on PetStar on Animal Planet. I was immediately attracted to the intelligence, and also potential talking ability of the greys. Of course I didn't get Ollie just so that I could have a talking parrot--but the idea of having a bird that may eventually have a few hundred word vocab was appealing to me. I would love Ollie the same if she never spoke a word, but hearing words come out of her mouth is a great bonus.

I agree that a lot of people probably get greys because of their talking ability. To me, Ollie is one of the 4 most beautiful birds in the world, but let's face it- grey's aren't bright and colorful like most of your other parrots. They're often described as tempermental, nervous, sensitive, and even neurotic, and they're very prone to feather picking (although obviously there are exceptions). I believe it's their intelligence and, even more so, their talking ability that has most people overlooking those traits.

Your Ollie is still young- he may talk yet!

It's amazing how we think so much alike.

I interact with him daily and he gets out-of-cage time for around a solid 4-5 hours a day. He is a great bird and loves to pluck my 5:00 shadow. I know he is still developing his personality, but after reading the article, I got a little less hopeful that he would ever talk to me.

I feel better now

My Gracie is 9 months. She just started saying "peek o boo", "hello", and "uh oh".

I had a quaker years ago. What an absolute delight!! It was like having a dog that talked. I miss him dearly. One thing i do notice is that the noise level of my quaker was 10 times noisier and louder than jazz and i sure do hope he continues being the way he is! Believe it or not sometimes i forget he is in the room when he has his mind on tearing something up.

Ollie is starting to say a few words but usually only in the evening. He said "pretty bird" the other night but was a little rough and he said it so fast that it could easily be missed. We had a ball chatting with eachother for a good hour. I would laugh and he would laugh, we went back an forth with laughing that it was like a laugh fest! I was a lot of fun.

I still feel most people get greys because they are known "top talkers" and this has an appealing characteristic to many. I have also noticed people who say talking is the bottom of the barrel characteristic usually have 2 or more birds, where if one bird lacks a disired characteristic, the others fill in the void. For example: If one grey hates to be cuttled and the other loves it, there's a balance. It would be frustrating if your only bird you own wants nothing to do with being petted leaving the owners natral urge to show affection to become neglected.

I agree there is more to a bird than just talking, but talking ability is without question the dominent reason people become interested in the first place. Deep down most people know this to be true. I will add that there is a small percentage of people who truly like birds in general, true bird lovers, that like any bird regardless of abilities.

Ira is >.< I don't know exactly...I should looks at the papers! Well, we all know she is young She says Words&Phrases but they aren't in a human like voice at all...kind funkatated sounding but who cares its adorable Sounds the Cutest when she says "I love you" and or Nick! (She got that one quick from my mom), but when she says my name it doesn't sound funny lol. But the Random noises she does is Amazing

Not to Hyjack or anything, sorry I haven't posted in awhile been real busy

Dozy's HD was 5/30/07 - not six months yet. She is making lots of noises, whistles, etc. Sometimes I think I hear what could be a word but I can't make out what she is saying. I hope she'll be a talker. But like Bellasmom says I would love Dozy if she never said a word. She is such a little cuddlebug and has the sweetest personality. Will she stay sweet or will she change?

It's funny because a few days after I posted to this Bella just started saying things. And, I mean saying things lots of babbles at night, new words too. She picked up the guy across the street saying to his grandson, "Watcha doin? Get over here!", "Hey, bird! (She likes this one)" ."Hey! Cookie!", and there are some other unknowns. She strung words too. "Cookie, wants nut."

Ollie said last night Gooood birrrrd. I was able to understand it. He keeps making a funny sound that I did not teach him , I can't describe it, it sould like a high pitch "huh" sound.