Home » 13 Parrot Sounds And Noises: What Vocalizations Mean!
what do parrot sounds mean?

13 Parrot Sounds And Noises: What Vocalizations Mean!

Last Updated on January 31, 2024 by Carrie Stephens

Parrots make various sounds to denote their feelings, each conveying different meanings. While some vocalizations are alarming and distressing, others are sweet-sounding, happy, and contented.

Parrots don’t make identical sounds, and some species have distinct vocalizations. Since parrots don’t say and understand human words, their bird sounds tell the astute owner what’s right and wrong.

What Different Parrot Sounds Mean

Here are the different parrot vocalizations:

VocalizationSound Meaning
ChirpingChirping signifies happiness, contentment, and relaxation.
WhistlingParrots whistle to show happiness and get their owners’ attention.
CryingCrying signifies grief, fear, sadness, loneliness, and pain.
SqueakingSqueaking occurs when a parrot is startled or has a tracheal or syringeal disease.
PurringContented parrots purr, like when sharing affection with owners.
SquawkingSquawking signifies danger, so they seek to get attention.
ScreechingParrots screech when afraid or in danger.
HissingHissing occurs when a parrot feels angry, threatened, or defensive.
Tongue clickingTongue clicking is a happy sound that parrots make when contented or excited.
Beak grindingBeak grinding is a self-soothing motion that helps birds settle down or sleep.
ChatteringParrots chatter to communicate with flock members. This vocalization signifies happiness and is used to gain attention.
GrowlingGrowling signifies anger and annoyance. It’s a warning to stay away.
Beak clickingParrots make clicking noises when defending their space, territory, or mates.

Let’s look at what each parrot sound means:

Chirping

Parrots make chirping sounds when happy, signifying contentment and relaxation. Its mood is upbeat. That’s why parrots chirp when songs play on the radio, as it keeps them mentally stimulated.

However, if you have several parrots, you may hear them call each other when they feel threatened. This is normal, but you should remove the stressor. For example, stop a pet stalking its cage.

Parrot species have different types of chirps, so their sounds vary significantly. However, the consensus is that chirps are universally bound by their positive connotations.

Whistling

Many parrot species make melodic whistling sounds, which sound like a song and are pleasant to hear.

Parrots instinctively know how to whistle and don’t need training. Whistling is among the most common happy parrot sounds because they never whistle when angry or sad.

Parrots may whistle to get their owners’ attention if they want attention. You’ll commonly find the parrot whistling as you enter the room after temporarily being away as a friendly greeting.

If you want to teach the parrot how to talk, encourage it to whistle once it starts picking up words. Parrots prefer whistling, finding it easier and more natural than repeating human words.

what do different parrot noises mean?

Crying Noises

Parrots experience a broad spectrum of emotions, including sadness and grief.

Even though parrots have tear ducts, they don’t cry tears. Instead, they vocalize their distress through noises that sound like human cries. Parrots cry out due to:

  • Loneliness.
  • Poor living conditions.
  • Fear and anxiety.
  • Illness and injury.

Parrots make crying noises when grieving the loss of a mate.

Squeaking

Squaking is an uncommon sound. Some parrots squeak when startled or touched, while many never squeak. It’s usually a joyful noise, but squeaking can signify tracheal or syringeal disease.

When conditions affect the syrinx, parrots develop changes to their voice and emit a high-pitched squeak accompanied by a clicking sound. This usually occurs with each breath taken.

When parrots start squeaking, it can take days or weeks to become dyspneic, which is when they have trouble breathing. Common warning signs include:

  • Open-mouthed breathing.
  • Increased sternum movement.
  • Tail bobbing.
  • Rapid breathing (tachypnea).

According to Vet Times, a foreign body, such as millet seed, tumors, or fungal granuloma, can cause a full or partial blockage of airflow, which is what causes the squeaking noise.

Purring

Purring signifies affection. Not all parrots purr, but those that do make the sound when they feel comfortable in their owners’ presence and have bonded with them.

Some parrots purr when being petted, strengthening their connection. However, purring sounds like low-pitched growls show anger and annoyance.

Observe the parrot’s demeanor for signs of comfort or distress to determine what noise you hear.

Squawking

Cockatoos are prone to squawking, which they do to get attention and things they want. Squawking also indicates fear and danger. If a parrot sees another animal, it’ll squawk to alert others.

Night frights are a further explanation for squawking. Parrots are prey animals, so they become fearful when they hear scary sounds at night. Parrots feel trapped in their cages, and their night vision is poor.

Screeching

Parrots screech when scared due to:

  • A new family member.
  • Seeing cats and dogs through a window.
  • Loud and unexplained noises.
  • Stress from a lack of sleep.
  • Unsuitable living conditions.

To stop a parrot from screeching, remove whatever’s stressing the parrot. This could include:

  • Moving the cage to a quieter location.
  • Draping a sheet over the cage at night to block light.
  • Turn off TVs and radios.
  • Keep other pets in separate rooms.
  • Provide bored parrots with toys.

Screeching is unpleasant, so you must remove the trigger to minimize the noise.

Hissing

Parrots only hiss when they feel threatened or stressed. The sound has a similar meaning to squawking and screeching due to the triggers that cause it. Things that cause hissing include:

  • Intimidating cagemates.
  • Predatory pets.
  • Unfamiliar or unwelcome objects in the cage.
  • Being approached when it’s not in the mood.
  • Pain or sickness.

Cockatiels and African grays are most likely to hiss.

Tongue Clicking

Parrots make clicking sounds with their tongue when happy or excited. This random, joyful noise indicates when a parrot feels contented within its surroundings.

The sound is similar to a human clicking their tongue against the roof of their mouth. The parrots’ tongue anatomy is like ours, which explains the similarities.

Not all parrots make this noise, but it’s most common among the cockatoo family.

Tongue clicking is a way for parrots to get attention. If a parrot wants to be picked up, it may emit a soft clicking sound with its tongue to get your attention.

Some parrots click their tongues against their mouths to entertain themselves. It’s not necessarily a sign of boredom but a sign that the parrot enjoys creating the sound.

Beak Grinding

Beak grinding is most commonly heard as parrots fall asleep. The back-and-forth motion is self-soothing, enabling parrots to settle down and sleep.

The noise encourages them to put their heads down, which compliments the owner because parrots evolved to remain half-awake, with one eye open (called peeking) when asleep.

Parrots grind their beaks to remove food debris and keep them worn down. Some achieve this by moving their beaks back and forth, while others move them from side to side.

Chattering

These “motor-mouth” noises are like a stream of syllables punctuated by words and whistles. Chattering sometimes concerns owners who hear it for the first time, but it’s a way of expressing joy.

Soft chatter signifies contentment and is how some parrots learn to talk. Loud chatter occurs when parrots want to remind their owners they’re nearby and want attention.

If you have more than one parrot, you may hear them chattering to each other before bedtime.

parrot vocalization

Growling

Parrots growl as a warning to keep away or stop your actions. If you proceed, you may get bitten. You’ll also stress the parrot more, making it more irritated and agitated.

African gray parrots may emit a low, harsh-sounding growl in the throat. A growling parrot is angry, regardless of the reason. Signs accompanying a growl include:

  • Raised feathers, especially on the neck.
  • Eye pinning.
  • Low, crouched posture.
  • Wing flapping.

Resolving what’s upsetting the parrot will eventually calm it down.

Clicking Noises

Beak clicking is where a parrot rattles the upper and lower parts of its beak together rapidly as a threat. When parrots make clicking noises, they’re defensive of their space, territory, or mates.

Parrots click when disturbed, highlighting their anger, frustration, or fear. When this happens, the click is accompanied by eye blazing, giving the parrot sharper focus in its frontal field of vision.

Macaws and cockatoos are most likely to make clicking noises.

Imitating Humans

Parrots mimic human words. Or, at least, what they think they hear. Parrots can’t understand what they’re saying, but if they listen to the same words enough, they may remember and repeat them.

Parrots have brains and neural connectors similar to humans, allowing them to mimic and repeat words and develop advanced cognitive abilities.

According to the University of Alberta, parrots have a medial spiriform nucleus, enabling them to speak.

The medial spiriform nucleus is larger than most other bird species, providing them with an advanced neural pathway that makes them fast learners. 

Parrots have more pallium cells (gray and white matter covering the cerebellum) than many other birds.

Parrots are intelligent animals, able to produce a vast repertoire of sounds and noises. The different vocalizations reveal a parrot’s mood, especially when coupled with body language.