The companion parrot is the most trainable pet most owners do not train. The parrot has the cognitive capacity of a 3 to 5 year old child, depending on the species, and is capable of learning dozens of commands, tricks, and even labels for objects. The dog that lives in the same household is trained to sit, stay, come, heel, and leave it. The parrot that lives in the same household is allowed to scream for attention, bite when it does not want to be handled, and refuse to step up when the owner needs to put it back in the cage. The owner of the dog knows that training is essential. The owner of the parrot often does not, because the parrot is not a dog, and the training techniques the owner knows do not seem to apply.
This article is the practical view of parrot training, written for the owner of a companion parrot who wants to establish the two foundation commands that make the bird manageable: the recall (come when called) and the perch command (step up on cue). We will go through why the standard dog-training approach does not work on parrots, the recall command in detail, the perch command in detail, the role of positive reinforcement, the role of target training, the role of the clicker, the species-specific differences, the common training mistakes, and the four mistakes that turn a trainable bird into a bird that bites, screams, or refuses to interact.
Why the standard dog-training approach does not work on parrots
The dog-training approach is built on a few principles that do not translate directly to parrots. The dog is a social animal that wants to please the owner; the parrot is a social animal that wants to please itself. The dog responds to voice tone and body language; the parrot responds to the predictability of consequences. The dog is motivated by social approval; the parrot is motivated by food, by curiosity, and by the absence of things it does not like.
The dog-training approach that uses correction (leash pops, verbal reprimands, alpha rolls) is counter-productive with parrots. The parrot that is corrected does not learn to comply; the parrot learns to avoid the hand that corrects, or to bite the hand that corrects, or to scream in the hope that the hand will go away. The parrot's training must be built almost entirely on positive reinforcement. The corrections, when they are necessary, must be very gentle (a quiet "no," a brief withdrawal of attention) and very rare.
The parrot that is trained with positive reinforcement is a parrot that enjoys the training, that looks forward to the sessions, and that is willing to perform the behaviors in the absence of the owner. The parrot that is trained with corrections is a parrot that learns to fear the hand, that bites to defend itself, and that screams to make the hand go away. The first approach produces a bird that is a joy to live with. The second approach produces a bird that the owner eventually wants to rehome.
The recall command: come when called
The recall is the most important command a parrot can learn. The recall is what allows the owner to get the bird out of dangerous situations, to bring the bird back to the cage, to retrieve the bird from a high perch, and to maintain control of the bird in any environment. A bird that has a reliable recall is a bird that the owner can manage. A bird that does not have a reliable recall is a bird that the owner can only manage by chasing, by grabbing, or by leaving alone.
The recall training uses a high-value food reward (a sunflower seed, a piece of millet, a sliver of almond, a pine nut) and a consistent verbal cue. The training steps:
- Start with the bird at a short distance (1 to 2 feet from the owner). The bird is on a perch or a play stand. The owner holds a high-value treat in front of the bird's beak, where the bird can see it but cannot reach it without moving toward it.
- As the bird moves toward the treat, the owner says the recall cue ("come," or the bird's name, or a specific verbal cue that the owner chooses). The moment the bird reaches the treat, the owner delivers the treat and praise.
- The training is repeated multiple times in the session (5 to 10 repetitions), with the distance gradually increased as the bird succeeds.
- The recall cue is added before the bird is offered the treat, not after. The bird learns that the cue predicts the treat. The bird learns that coming when called results in a reward.
- The training is repeated in multiple locations and in multiple contexts. The bird that has a reliable recall in the living room may not have a reliable recall in the kitchen. The recall must be generalised.
- The high-value treat is gradually faded as the bird learns the behavior. The bird that only comes when it sees the treat is not reliably trained. The bird that comes when called, with intermittent reinforcement, is reliably trained.
The recall training takes 2 to 4 weeks of daily sessions (5 to 10 minutes per session) before the bird is reliable in the home environment. The recall training in novel environments (outdoors, at the vet, at a friend's house) takes longer.
The single most important principle of recall training: the bird is never punished for coming when called. The owner who calls the bird to put it back in the cage, then closes the cage door, teaches the bird that recall = back in the cage = end of freedom. The bird that learns this association stops coming when called. The fix: vary what happens after the recall. Sometimes the bird is put in the cage. Sometimes the bird is given a treat and allowed to continue playing. Sometimes the bird is taken to a different room for a new activity. The bird that does not know what will happen after the recall is the bird that comes reliably.
The perch command: step up on cue
The perch command (or "step up") is the second most important command. The step up is what allows the owner to move the bird from one place to another, to take the bird out of the cage, to put the bird back in the cage, and to handle the bird in any situation. A bird that has a reliable step up is a bird that the owner can handle without conflict. A bird that does not have a reliable step up is a bird that the owner can only handle by chasing, by grabbing, or by leaving alone.
The step up training uses a perch (a hand-held dowel, a T-stand, or the owner's hand) and a high-value treat. The training steps:
- The bird is on a perch or the cage top. The owner offers the hand-held perch or the hand in front of the bird's lower chest, just above the feet. The bird is encouraged to step up onto the perch by gentle pressure on the lower chest (the bird's natural response to pressure on the lower chest is to step up). The moment the bird steps up, the owner delivers the treat and praise.
- The step up is repeated multiple times, with the bird stepping from one perch to the other, with the treat and praise delivered after each step up.
- The verbal cue ("step up," or the bird's name, or a specific verbal cue) is added as the bird is offered the perch. The bird learns that the cue predicts the step up.
- The training is generalised to different locations and different perches. The bird that steps up on the owner's hand in the living room may not step up on the owner's hand in the kitchen. The training must be repeated in each location.
The step up is the most common source of conflict between parrots and their owners. The bird that bites the offered hand is a bird that has not been properly trained to step up, or has been trained to associate the step up with a negative experience. The fix: use a hand-held perch for the initial training, to keep the owner's hand out of biting range. Once the bird is reliably stepping up on the perch, the hand can be introduced as the perch for step up. The hand-trained bird is the bird that the owner can handle without conflict.
The role of positive reinforcement
Positive reinforcement is the foundation of parrot training. The behavior that is followed by a positive consequence is the behavior that the bird will repeat. The food treat, the verbal praise, the head scratch, the favorite toy — all are positive reinforcers that the owner can use to strengthen the desired behavior.
The food treat is the most reliable reinforcer, particularly in the early stages of training. The owner should identify the bird's favorite food (sunflower seeds, millet, almonds, pine nuts, etc.) and reserve that food exclusively for training. The bird that never gets the favorite food except during training is the bird that is highly motivated to work for the favorite food.
The verbal praise is a useful secondary reinforcer. The bird that has been trained to associate a particular word or phrase with food (e.g. "good bird!") will respond to the verbal praise even in the absence of food. The verbal praise is a useful bridge between the food-treat training and the real-world performance of the behavior.
The clicker (or a verbal marker like "yes") is a useful tool for precise timing of the reinforcement. The click marks the exact moment the bird performs the desired behavior, and the food is delivered immediately after the click. The click becomes a conditioned reinforcer — the bird learns that the click predicts food, and the click alone is reinforcing.
The role of target training
Target training is the foundation of many advanced behaviors. The bird learns to touch a target (a stick, a chopstick, a specific object) with its beak, on cue. The target can then be used to direct the bird to a specific location, to lead the bird through a behavior sequence, and to build more complex behaviors.
The target training steps:
- Hold the target (a chopstick, a small stick) a few inches from the bird's beak. The bird will usually investigate the target with its beak.
- The moment the bird touches the target with its beak, click and treat. The bird learns that touching the target = food.
- The target is moved further from the bird. The bird moves toward the target to touch it. Click and treat.
- The target is moved in different directions. The bird follows the target. The bird is now "targeting" the target on cue.
The target training is a useful way to get a bird that is reluctant to step up to move to a new location. The owner can use the target to lead the bird to a perch, to a scale, to a play stand, or to a different room. The target is also a useful way to build more complex behaviors (the bird that targets is the bird that can be taught to turn around, to bow, to retrieve, to play basketball, etc.).
The species-specific differences
Different parrot species have different training characteristics.
African Greys. Highly intelligent, often anxious, often reluctant to perform in front of strangers. Training is best done in a quiet, distraction-free environment, with short sessions (5 to 10 minutes) and high-value treats. The African Grey that is trained with patience and consistency is a bird that learns quickly. The African Grey that is pushed too hard shuts down.
Cockatoos. Highly social, often demanding, often vocal. Training is best done with the owner present and engaged, with the bird's favorite treat, and with plenty of verbal praise. The cockatoo that is trained is a bird that has an outlet for its social needs. The cockatoo that is not trained often develops screaming behavior.
Amazons. Variable. Some Amazons are highly trainable, others are more independent. The training is best done with the owner's favorite treat and consistent cues.
Macaws. Highly trainable, often food-motivated, often respond well to clicker training. The training is best done in a quiet environment with the bird on a stand or perch.
Conures. Highly trainable, often respond enthusiastically to training. The training is best done with high-value treats and short, frequent sessions.
Budgies, cockatiels, and other small parrots. Trainable, but often more difficult to motivate with food. The training is best done with millet spray, the universal budgie and cockatiel treat, and with very short sessions (3 to 5 minutes).
The four mistakes
Mistake 1: Using correction or punishment. The owner tries to train the parrot the way the owner trained the dog, with a sharp "no" or a tap on the beak. The parrot shuts down or bites. The owner concludes the parrot is untrainable. The parrot is not untrainable; the parrot is a parrot. The fix: use positive reinforcement only. Corrections are counter-productive.
Mistake 2: Training inconsistently. The owner trains the recall on Monday, does not train on Tuesday, trains again on Wednesday, does not train for a week, then trains again. The bird is confused. The behavior is not learned. The fix: train every day, in short sessions, for at least 2 to 4 weeks until the behavior is reliable.
Mistake 3: Always pairing the recall with the end of fun. The owner only calls the bird when it is time to go back in the cage. The bird learns that recall = end of freedom. The bird stops coming when called. The fix: vary what happens after the recall. Sometimes the bird is put in the cage. Sometimes the bird is given a treat and allowed to continue playing. The bird that does not know what will happen after the recall is the bird that comes reliably.
Mistake 4: Pushing the bird past its comfort zone. The owner tries to train the bird in a busy environment, with other people present, with loud noises, before the bird is ready. The bird is overwhelmed, becomes aggressive, and the training is set back. The fix: start training in a quiet, distraction-free environment. Gradually increase the distractions as the bird succeeds.
Closing the loop
The companion parrot is highly trainable, and the two foundation commands — the recall and the step up — make the bird manageable in any situation. The owner who trains with positive reinforcement, who uses high-value treats, who trains in short, frequent sessions, and who avoids the four mistakes, will have a bird that comes when called and steps up on cue. The owner who tries to train the parrot the way the owner trained the dog, who trains inconsistently, who always pairs the recall with the end of fun, and who pushes the bird past its comfort zone, will have a bird that bites, screams, and refuses to interact. The bird is the same. The difference is the approach.
