08/18/2025
This is my occasional reminder that we will not answer any questions about "do you have any talking birds available?" or "does that bird talk?".
I have become very weary of this question for several reasons. As a result, I no longer answer this question about any of our birds. I will not share videos of our adoptable birds talking (though, I may share videos after adoption if I remember to do so!). I will not respond to comments on pictures or private messages about whether a bird talks or not. I promise I am not trying to be rude if I choose not to answer this question for you. It is simply a policy that I have in place to protect our birds. I hope you will take the time to read the information below so you understand why this is so important to us at Feathers Galore.
I have had a LOT of birds surrendered over the years of running this rescue because the novelty of them talking wore off. That novelty for many people does not outweigh the other parts of parrot ownership. It truly breaks my heart to see these amazing birds reduced to their talking and not all the other aspects of their personalities. Birds have so much more to them than their ability to talk. They are more than just an ornament in a cage that is there to talk on your command. They are more than a novelty that can amuse your friends and family when they come to your house. We will never discuss talking ability during the adoption process for this reason. Even if they do talk, it likely won't be the specific word/phrase you want them to learn. And the novelty of it will absolutely wear off when they say the same three words for 10+ years.
Yes, many parrot breeds (ranging all the way from the little cockatiels and conures you see at the Pet Store up through African Greys and Macaws) have the POTENTIAL ability to talk. However, this potential does not mean the bird will actually talk. It also does not mean they will have or will develop a large vocabulary.
If talking is a necessity for you, we suggest you do a LOT of research on parrot ownership and the commitment that it requires. I also will suggest other routes to acquire a bird than rescuing. Most birds that come into rescues are stressed, have been neglected/abused, and simply are going through a rough transition in their lives. It would be unfair of me to adopt a bird that hasn't had the best life to someone that will likely grow tired of the bird when the novelty wears off. As a rescue, we need to be 100% confident when we adopt a bird to you that you are committed and in it for the right reasons. I do not want to see a bird adopted and then turn around and have that bird later sold/rehomed/surrendered because them being able to say "Hello" did not outweigh the other aspects of bird ownership (expensive vet bills, expensive food/diet, destructive behavior, messy, loud, etc.).
I know many of you have seen this "rant" from me many times before. You will probably continue to see this, because it continues to be such a common focus for people seeking birds. It is a HUGE percentage of the questions I get at the rescue, which tells me it continues to be the primary reason many people seek out birds as a companion. Hopefully posts like this can help educate so that we can help lower the number of birds entering rescues and being rehomed. That is my hope anyway!
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PLEASE NOTE: This bird is a PREVIOUS resident at Feathers Galore. We do not have this bird or any other African Greys at this time. We are simply using her picture because she is an example of what many people think of when they want a "talking bird".
If you want to see a list of our current birds, please review our website:
http://feathersgalore.com/Adoption/
