• Question: Why do budgies copy noises?

    Asked by ruairi to Kevin, Jo on 20 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: Kevin Mahon

      Kevin Mahon answered on 20 Jun 2012:

      Why they do this is still slightly unknown – some scientists theorise that they do it to keep themselves amused! As most species of talking bird become restless in captivity easily (and this can result in stressful behaviours like feather plucking) them ‘talking’ is possibly a very important behaviour.

      What is important to remember is that it is a playful behaviour and that for the most part we still can’t definitively state what the function and purpose of play in animals is!

    • Photo: Joanna Cruden

      Joanna Cruden answered on 22 Jun 2012:

      Budgies mimic more if they are on their own in a cage, I used to have a male who would mimic my dogs barking at the bottom of the garden but when I got him a friend he stopped but I don’t know much about why they mimic.

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