Parrots Mimic Sounds, Yet They Still Recognize Each Other’s Voices — How?

Parrots, renowned for their mimicry, not only have the ability to imitate a variety of sounds but they also possess unique voices of their own, according to a new study

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A wild monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus), in Brazil. These parrots are also known as the monk parrot or Quaker parrot. (Credit: Bernard DuPont / CC BY-SA 2.0)

Parrots are amongst the best mimics in the animal world. They have complex and flexible vocal repertoires, and they learn a variety of sounds throughout their lives. But despite their sometimes extensive vocal repertoires, these talented impressionists can still be individually recognized by members of their community by voice alone. How?

Voice prints. According to a new study, parrots may have their own unique voice print, just as people do. In humans, our voice print is created by the structure of our vocal tract, which creates a recognizable auditory signature in the tone of our voice.

Like humans, parrots use their tongue and mouth to modulate calls, meaning that “their grunts and shrieks sound much more human than a songbird’s clean whistle,” said the study’s first author, behavioral ecologist Simeon Smeele, who completed this research as part of his PhD thesis at Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior. (Dr Smeele is now a postdoctoral fellow at Aarhus University where he is monitoring bat voices using passive acoustics.)