Do all parrots growl?

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

I know dogs growl, and Casper was brought up with a dog in the house, so was this something he picked up or is it natural for parrots to growl ferociously when they don't want to do something (or they don't want you to stop them doing something)?

[spiritbird]

Some parrots do growl on their own. When I had a grey she would really growl when she was afraid of someone or when a stranger got into her space. There were no dogs in my home.

[plax]

Greys are notorious growlers! But I think most parrots seldom growl. I happen to have 4 of them who don't ;)

[froggij]

My 'tiel hisses, more like a cat than a dog. But my conure learned to bark, so... anything is possible... as long as they hear it enough times ....

[Lady]

Hearing it is one thing, but knowing how to use it is quite another! How smart to know that a growl is a way to warn you of something he doesn't want to happen. Lady doesn't growl that I have ever heard, but we don't live with any dogs either.

[spiritbird]

I have heard the cockatiel hiss.

[kendrafitz]

Rosie does not growl. She happily joins in when the dogs bark by screaming, but that is it. :)

[jtbirds]

I believe most parrots that naturally growl are the African species, greys, senegals, etc.. I may be wrong with this but I believe these are the ones that growl for defense.

[2birds]

Of my three, the only one that naturally growls is the grey. The other two don't. She's not copying the dogs, that's one of the sounds african greys make.

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

Casper is an Amazon. Perhaps he had African ancestry. The growling is only ever used in an "I don't want to do that" or an "I don't want to stop doing that" situation when we go to pick him up.

He also woofs, usually at the end of one of his one-sided conversations. Today he has started to moult - he must be enjoying the central heating.

[PlaxMacaws]

Does Casper's growl sound like that of a Grey? And if so, has he ever spent time around a Grey? These guys can pick up not only sounds from humans, fellow birds, and other pets within their environment... they can as well grasp the associations and meanings of many such sounds. They are even capable of learning and mimicking physical movements that are associated with such sounds. And the sounds don't have to be words or phrases.

I'll mention a couple of examples...

My GW, Salsa, can (and does) imitate the whining wails of my Hy, Zaffer. And he does so to a tee! When Zaf starts up, Salsa joins in as if to mock him. And he indeed does a very good job. Hyacinths have a much deeper, much raspier vocal quality than Green-wings. Salsa simply enjoys making fun of Zaf's whining :). When this happens, it sounds exactly like I have two Hyacinths in the house whining simultaneously.

One other example is Salsa's waving "hi" trick. I'll explain a bit about why he started doing it. I began waving to him from across the room as a greeting gesture. Each time I did so I would say "hi" to him. Well, he picked it up and now lifts his foot and waves his toes while telling me "hi" right back. And guess what? The other day, and for the very first time, Zaf started doing this very same thing while he was on top of his cage as we were waiting for some popcorn to finish popping in my air-popper. I couldn't believe it! Zaf was lifting his left foot up to neck level, waving his toes, and saying "hi" (just like Salsa)! I've never even tried to teach this trick to Zaf. He picked it up all on his own. I suspect it has to do with the praise I've given Salsa whenever he does it.

So when these guys learn a sound and/or a behavior, the tendency to demonstrate said sound and/or behavior may stick with them for life.

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

Casper hasn't met any AGs that I am aware of, apart from when he spent some time at the vets but he growled before that.
The Vet said he knew the bird was feeling better when Casper said "Can I help you?" when the Vet went to check how he was in the morning. He must have got it from the receptionist but has never repeated it. I suspect he is waiting for the right set of circumstances because he does tend to say things in context.

[Cedardave]

5 of my 6 greys are growlers.It really caught me off guard the first time I heard them.They seem to use it to let us know to back off from the nest boxes.We have dogs as well, but this isn't a mimic.They puff up and let you know they are angry.

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

Casper will often growl whilst stepping up, just to show that he doesn't really want to stop doing naughty things but is prepared to let it go just this once.

[Mare]

My cockatoos don't growl. If Amigo doesn't feel like stepping up, he just won't! This is when I have to peel him off of whatever..that's when "I" growl :). My cockatiel hisses and Sassy goffins screams like a little girl!..she's so funny :)

[2birds]

If I remember right the amazon we had when I was a kid would growl when she was angry. My grey growls just to do it most of the time, she's not really mad. Mare, goffins are the biggest cry babies.

[Karen]

5 of my 6 greys are growlers.It really caught me off guard the first time I heard them.They seem to use it to let us know to back off from the nest boxes.

My experience was similar with Greys. I didn't see the birds in their nest box, but heard the growl and was looking around for the guard dog!

I have never heard Macaws growl.

[Animalman2046]

My crimson bellied (Ziggy) doesn't growl but he has learned to bark like a dog......I have 3 of them here and one is always barking. LOL. Sometimes when Ziggy barks I think it is one of the small dogs.......lol. Guess he is just a bird dog. :th_eek: