Last Updated on: 6th November 2023, 12:30 pm
All parrots verbalize to communicate, with these sounds ranging from conversational chattering to ear-piercing squawks. The larger the parrot, the louder its maximum vocalizations.
Conures, especially Nanday conures, and cockatoos, most notably Moluccan cockatoos, are among the loudest parrots in the world, capable of near-deafening screams of 130 to 150 decibels.
Macaws, Amazons, Electus parrots, Quaker parrots, pionus parrots, caique parrots, rose-ringed parakeets, and lorikeets can produce noise levels above 90 decibels.
At their loudest, some parrots create noise comparable to a motorcycle engine, a jet plane taking off, or an air horn. This noise won’t be constant, but it can be startling and grow irritating.
What Are The Loudest Parrots in Decibels?
The noise created by parrots is measured in decibels (dB.) The average volume of human conversation is around 60 dB, while raised voices are closer to 80 dB.
Prolonged exposure to 80 dB can cause hearing damage, while anything above 90 dB is painful to hear.
The following species of parrots are the nosiest:
| Type of Parrot | Maximum Volume in dB |
| Conures: | 155 – comparable to a gunshot from a rifle. |
| Cockatoos: | 135 – comparable to an airplane engine. |
| Amazon Parrots: | 125 – comparable to an air horn. |
| Electus Parrots: | 115 – comparable to a Harley Davidson engine. |
| Quaker Parrots: | 112 – comparable to a chainsaw. |
| Rose-ringed Parakeets: | 110 – comparable to a chainsaw. |
| Macaws: | 106 – comparable to an industrial lawnmower. |
| Pionus Parrots: | 96 – comparable to a subway train. |
| Caique Parrots: | 93 – comparable to music through headphones at half-volume. |
| Lorikeets: | 90 – comparable to a kitchen blender. |
What Noise Do Parrots Like to Make?
While some noise from a parrot is to be expected, it’ll vary the sounds and intensity it produces.
A parrot will regularly make the following noises:
Talking and Singing
While many parrots can talk, the number of words they can learn (with training) is species-specific. Parrots learn to speak by mimicking the words they hear.
Proceedings: Biological Sciences explains how wild parrots learn regional dialects that identify each other. By imitating the call of another parrot, a bird is likelier to be accepted into the flock.
Captive parrots listen out for words you use and repeat them, especially if they find these noises enjoyable. The same applies to parrots that sing along to songs.
Whistling and Chattering
A species less skilled in speech is likelier to communicate through whistling and chattering, especially if it wasn’t socialized and trained to talk from an early age.
Whistling is an upbeat sound, only made when a parrot feels happy and content. You may also find the parrot whistles for attention, denoting that it wishes to play, eat, or leave its cage.
General chattering also denotes a good mood. Chattering will likely become the default communication method if you care for several birds of the same species.
Whistling and chattering are seldom loud enough to annoy neighbors.
Squawking and Screaming
Squawking and screaming are the loudest parrot sounds. Large parrots contact call at volumes that can penetrate walls and windows, upsetting neighbors and frustrating owners.
Macaws, conures, and cockatoos are the most likely to scream in the parrot family.
Parrots scream for various reasons. Sometimes, it’s just instinctual. Wild parrots squawk and scream upon waking in the morning to communicate with their flock and announce their presence.
A parrot may also scream for attention or denote a negative emotion like fear or jealousy.
How Do Parrots Produce Sound?
Parrots don’t use a larynx or “voice box” to make verbal noises. Instead, they have a syrinx at the bottom of the trachea (windpipe), which is divided and connected to the lungs.
A parrot’s syrinx is also divided into two sections. A parrot can speak, sing, or chatter continually without stopping to take a breath. Air is pushed from the lungs into the syrinx and up the throat.
As parrots don’t have lips with which to formulate speech, Current Biology explains how parrots manipulate the shape of their tongues to imitate sounds they hear.
Why Are Parrots So Loud?
According to Zoomorphology, parrots choose the noise they want to make, but they don’t have an “‘indoor voice.” If a parrot considers screaming necessary, it’ll do so as noisily as possible.
Talking and chattering regularly occur at the same volume. If the parrot communicates at a lower volume than usual, it may be unhappy, have harmed its throat, or have developed a respiratory infection.
How Do You Deal with Parrot Noise?
Even a bonded parrot will make noise. To this end, consider soundproofing the walls and double glazing.
Training a noisy parrot requires consistency and patience. If you raise your voice in response, yelling at a parrot to quieten down, it’ll match your intensity.
Understand why the parrot is vocalizing. Have you missed a scheduled meal time? Has the parrot been locked in its cage for hours? Does its cage need to be cleaned? Does it want new toys?
If a parrot learns you’ll provide attention or food when it screams, it has no reason to quieten down.
Where possible, ignore the parrot or talk to it in a calm tone. If the noise continues, give it a “time out” to destimulate and calm down, returning the parrot to its cage.
There will be times when you can’t prevent a parrot from vocalizing.
A sexually mature parrot denied the opportunity to breed will likely grow increasingly vocal and frustrated during mating season when its hormones are elevated.
Why are Parrots Noisy in the Morning?
If the parrot sleeps for 10 – 12 hours, it’ll awaken feeling refreshed and ready to interact.
Wild parrot flocks regularly gather in trees in the morning to socialize, play, and in readiness to forage together, with loud verbalizations a vital component of this behavior.
Owners will fulfill the same role as wild flock mates for a captive bird. The parrot will scream and squawk to attract your attention and request food.
Are Parrots Loud at Night?
Expect a parrot to become vocal around an hour before going to sleep, as it’ll instinctively want to eat its last meal of the day at this time.
Birds don’t vary their sleep cycle, staying up later on a Friday or Saturday night. Once the parrot rests in a covered cage, you shouldn’t hear from them again until morning.
Night Frights in Parrots
Night frights arise when a parrot becomes aware of a perceived threat and can’t see it.
Common causes of night frights include predatory pets circling the cage, unknown humans in the bird’s vicinity, or unexplained external noises like car horns.
If the parrot is prone to verbalizing overnight, consider moving its cage to a more peaceful location.
Never get a parrot in the expectation of a quiet pet. All parrots can be loud, and some emit ear-splitting screams. While training can improve a parrot’s behavior, it won’t stop vocalizing loudly.
