While all parrots vocalize, smaller parrots tend to have less lung capacity, making their vocal range much less than their larger cousins.
Parrotlets are the quietest parrots. They create 65 decibels of noise, on average. Budgies aren’t far behind, reaching 68 decibels. Other quiet parrot species include brown-headed parrots, cockatiels, lovebirds, mini macaws, Meyer’s parrots, red-bellied parrots, and Senegal parrots. Some conure species are quiet, including Bourke’s and barred parakeets. Similarly, half-moon, green-cheeked, and peach-fronted conures are the quietest of their species.
If you’re looking for a quiet pet parrot, consider a smaller species. But always do your research beforehand to ensure that its temperament and personality are also right for you.
How Many Decibels Is A Parrot?
As mentioned, no parrots are considered quiet, as they all make a level of noise. However, some parrot species are louder than others, while some are much quieter. Overall, parrots have a broad decibel range, starting from 60 to 155 decibels.
To put these figures into context, 65 decibels is equivalent to human laughter. Similarly, the average human talking voice is 60 decibels. In comparison, 155 decibels sound like a jet engine or fireworks.
While 65 decibels is a manageable amount of noise to live with, 155 decibels can cause serious long-term problems. This impressive noise feat belongs to the nanday parakeet – also known as the black-hooded parakeet or nanday conure.
They produce so much noise that their screech can cause headaches and permanent ear damage to anyone standing close by. They can also be heard miles away, making them unsuitable pets. Other loud parrot species include:
- Cockatoos
- Macaws
- Eclectus
- Amazons
- Some conures; Jenday, Sun, Nanday
- African greys
- Lorikeets
- Ringneck parakeets
When choosing a pet parrot, one of the primary considerations is the amount of noise it produces. Those living in apartments will need a quiet parrot. Those living in secluded areas without many neighbors can afford to have a louder bird.
Consider how much noise you’re prepared to put up with. Parrots are a long-term commitment, so do your research before choosing your species.
Parrot Decibel Chart
The average decibel levels of the nosiest and quietest parrots are as follows:
Quietest Parrots
| Parrot Type | Average Decibel Levels |
| Parrotlets | 65 decibels |
| Budgies | 68 decibels |
| Cockatiels | 75 decibels |
| Lovebirds | 83 decibels |
| Senegal Parrot | 89 decibels |
| Meyer’s Parrot | 89 decibels |
| Red-Bellied Parrot | 89 decibels |
Loudest Parrots
| Parrot Type | Average Decibel Levels |
| Nanday Conure | 155 decibels |
| Mealy Amazon Parrot | 124 decibels |
| Sun Conure | 120 decibels |
| Moluccan Cockatoo | 120 decibels |
| Eclectus Parrot | 115 decibels |
| Quaker Parrot | 113 decibels |
| Rose-Ringed Parakeet | 111 decibels |
| Hyacinth Macaw | 106 decibels |
| Scarlet Macaw | 105 decibels |
What’s The Quietest Parrot?
While it’s close between parrotlets and budgies, parrotlets are ever-so-slightly quieter, coming in at an average noise level of only 65 decibels. As mentioned, this is not far off the level of human speech.
Parrotlets lack the ability to screech and scream, which is what makes other parrots noisy. Instead, they use soft chirps to communicate.
In particular, Pacific parrotlets are one of the quietest parrot species in the world. They can repeat simple words and phrases but lack the ability to be good talkers. They’re also tiny birds, so they don’t have the lung capacity they need to make lots of noise.
Green-rumped and Mexican parrotlets are also quiet parrots and make great pets for small houses or apartments. Your neighbors probably won’t even know you have one.
What Are the Least Noisy Parrots?
While we’ve determined that parrotlets are the least vocal parrots, other quiet parrots make great pets, too. These include:
Brown-Headed Parrot
The brown-headed parrot is a small, popular bird with a sweet temperament. While it makes a small amount of noise, it’s a quiet, calm bird overall. This makes brown-headed parrots ideal for people living in apartments.
Because they’re such chilled-out birds, they don’t express themselves with vocalizations as much as others. However, like most African parrots, they can learn a few words and repeat them. They love to talk but do so in a gentle and controlled manner.
They also have a soft chirp, so their call isn’t too loud and offensive. They do sometimes whistle, but it’s not as ear-piercing as other parrots.
Budgies
Budgies, also known as parakeets, aren’t just one of the quietest parrots species, but they’re more peaceful than most birds. The only exception to this is the rose-ringed parakeet. However, that’s not to say they don’t make noise. In fact, they have a wide vocal range.
As described by The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, budgerigars have a complex, learned vocal repertoire consisting of short calls produced by males and females. Males produce a long, rambling warble song that allows them to bond and mate with females.
While budgies are quiet birds, they possess a range of beautiful sounds that many parrot owners enjoy listening to.
Cockatiels
Cockatiels are one of the most popular parrots. They’re also one of the quietest.
While they don’t make much noise, they possess an excellent vocal range. Affectionate female cockatiels call out to their owners when they want attention. They’re also interactive birds and will vocalize when you offer them cuddles and strokes.
Male cockatiels mimic human words and phrases. They’ll also wolf whistle to get your attention, and are more likely to sing, tweet, and chirp. If you’re concerned about noise, choose a female cockatiel, as it’s likely to be quieter.
While budgies are quiet birds, they possess a range of beautiful sounds that many owners enjoy listening to.
Conures
While the sun and nanday conures are some of the loudest parrots around, the half-moon, green-cheeked, and peach-fronted are some of the quietest. This is confusing for owners looking to choose a quiet conure.
Half-Moon Conure
Half-moon conures, also known as the orange-fronted parakeet or conure, are a medium-sized dwarf parrot species. While they’re excitable, they’re quieter than other conures. They’re not known to be talkers, and they’re not very chatty, either, meaning they possess a low natural volume.
Green-Cheeked Conure
Green-cheeked conures are shyer than other conures. As a result, they prefer to remain quiet and rarely call out or vocalize. However, once you become bonded with one, they make soft chirping sounds and mimic some words.
Peach-Fronted Conure
Peach-fronted conures are small, measuring only 10 inches. That means their lungs are small, making them another quiet conure species.
Like most other conures, they’re not the best talking birds. They do sometimes make loud, high-pitched sounds when calling, but overall the noise levels are tolerable. However, the half-moon and green-cheeked conure are better for apartment living.
Lovebirds
Because of their small size, lovebirds are one of the most common parrot pets. While they’re chatty and enjoy singling and whistling, their lung capacity is too small for them to make too much noise. Similarly, they don’t mimic sounds.
Lovebirds tend to talk to each other. They also have a soothing, pleasant song that owners enjoy listening to. Lovebirds are most vocal between dawn and dusk and tend to remain quiet for most of the day.
However, watch out for their high-pitched screech. While it’s not particularly loud, it’s not very pleasant to listen to, either.
Mini Macaws
Unlike their loud cousins, mini macaws are the quietest macaws. As the name suggests, they’re smaller than larger macaws and have reduced lung capacity, limiting their vocal abilities.
While they enjoy singing occasionally, their voices are low and quiet. On the other hand, larger macaws are very vocal, so don’t make the mistake of picking one if you live in a small apartment. Mini macaws are more suitable for this kind of dwelling.
Meyer’s Parrot
Also known as the brown parrot, the Meyer’s parrot is part of the same family as Senegal and red-bellied birds. It’s loved for its easy-going, laidback personality. Rather than vocalizing, it prefers to watch everything from afar. It’s at its happiest sitting on a perch watching the world go by.
Meyer’s parrots aren’t known for their talking ability. Instead, they whistle, make clicking noises, and sometimes squeak. While this can be loud, they don’t do it too often. That being said, they don’t scream or squawk, making them another parrot suitable for owners living in apartments.
Parakeets
Except for the rose-ringed parakeet, parakeets are quiet birds. The two least noisy include:
Bourke’s Parakeet
Bourke’s parakeets are famous for their noise-less, calm demeanor. While they’re most chatty during dawn and dusk, like lovebirds, they’re still quiet compared to most other parrots.
They chirp with delight and make soothing melodic sounds. However, they sometimes produce a sharp, high-pitched sound if they’re startled, so they’re best suited to quiet, chilled-out homes.
Barred Parakeet
Barred parakeets are another quiet parrot species. They have low noise levels and chatter softly to themselves, barely making much sound at all. Occasionally, they’ll become loud when they need food or feel stressed, but this is rare. Not only are barred parakeets quiet, but they can learn words and imitate noises, making them fun to be around.
Red-Bellied Parrot
Red-bellied parrots aren’t considered vocal birds. Though, they are talkative and can mimic words excellently. They’re playful birds and make a range of sweet vocalizations when they’re mentally stimulated. They’re also unafraid of strangers and will talk to them as much as their own family.
Red-bellied parrots love to whistle. However, they’re not known to screech and squawk and do well living in apartments.
Red-bellied parrots can sometimes become depressed if you don’t play with them enough and may vocalize more often to get your attention. As a result, pay attention to any new sounds or increased noise levels because your parrot might want to play.
Senegal Parrot
Despite being slightly bigger than most other quiet parrots, Senegals have sweet, gentle personalities and want to be around their owners as much as possible. They’re not very talkative, and they don’t scream. Instead, they prefer to whistle and cluck to communicate.
As a result, it’s unlikely your neighbors will ever hear one. And while they’re one of the quieter parrots, they can mimic words, making them one of the more intelligent birds to be around.
Senegal parrots don’t like loud noises or noisy areas, so they’re better suited to quiet homes.
How To Keep Parrots Quiet
While you can’t change parrots’ noise levels, you can encourage them to vocalize less by ensuring their environment is suited to their temperament and personality. When quiet birds make noise, they sometimes need to alert their owners to something they’re not happy about.
As a result, provide the following things to try and reduce your parrot’s noise:
Mental Stimulation
Parrots vocalize when they’re bored or stressed. This is sometimes because they lack things to do. To prevent this, provide fun toys and games that they can use for entertainment.
Alongside vocalizations, bored and stressed parrots will pluck out their feathers, so mental stimulation is essential for several reasons.
As described by Peer J, chronic stress is the cause of several behavioral disorders. Therefore, making more noise is one of the most effective ways for parrots to highlight their displeasure.
Alongside toys, spend lots of time with your bird outside of its cage, offering affectation and attention. This should improve its mood.
Gentle Mist Bath
If your parrot starts making lots of noise for no apparent reason, try misting it down with a spray bath. Most parrots enjoy the relaxing feeling of the water hitting their feathers and will spend time preening and grooming them. As a result, they’ll quieten down, reducing their noise levels.
Regular Feeding Times
Your parrot might be calling out to you because it’s hungry. As a result, consider the times you feed your parrot and alter them to reflect the times your parrot gets hungry.
Alternatively, provide it with a small bowl of healthy fruits and vegetables to try and reduce its appetite until it’s ready for its main pellet meal. Some parrots have big appetites and need slightly more food than others.
Clicker Training
Clicker training is an excellent option if your parrot’s excessive noise-making has become a bad habit. The idea behind clicker training is that the click means your parrot’s about to get a tasty treat. Once it quietens down due to the clicking sound, you can reward your bird with its favorite food.
Eventually, you remove the treat and the click signals that your bird needs to quieten down. Most parrots are intelligent enough to pick up this type of training.
What Do Parrots Make Sounds?
Parrots don’t just make noise because it’s what nature intended – they vocalize for several reasons, including:
Communicate
Parrots use sounds to communicate with other birds, especially when they’re living with others. They use sound signals to warn each other of dangers and scare predators away. They also use vocalizations to defend their territory against other parrots.
Find A Mate
Parrots tend to sing to attract a mate. These are the most beautiful vocalizations parrots can make. According to Science Daily, female budgies listen to the variation in males’ calls and use this information to choose a mate.
Your parrot will become more vocal during the sexual reproduction stages while it attempts to find a mate.
Show Emotions
Parrots have emotions just like any other animal. Therefore, they vocalize when they feel happy, sad, angry, or stressed.
Parrots tend to have different vocalizations for different moods, so listen out for your different parrot sounds to try to determine what your bird’s feeling.
Quiet parrots make good pets. They fit into their surroundings and don’t upset your neighbors. Similarly, they tend to make a range of beautiful sounds that can relax and soothe you. Always monitor your parrot’s vocalizations for any sudden changes.
