Certain parrots may learn a huge vocabulary that extends well beyond simple words and phrases.
A talking parrot, since it speaks our language, can communicate with us in ways that no other creature can.
If you’re looking for an alternative to a normal cat or dog or anything similar, talking parrots make fantastic pets.
Despite the difficulties you could experience in owning and caring for a parrot, having a talking parrot is a truly remarkable experience as they can become very bonded to you.
Not all parrots, however, are made equal.
Making the best possible decision in terms of a talking parrot at the best price is crucial to developing a solid, long-term bond with your pet.
It’s important to note that not all parrots can talk, and with some species that do, it may take a while for them to get the hang of our language.
Don’t expect anything more than a word or two when you first get your pet. Like with other animals, this behavior comes with time, training, and practice.
With that in mind, here is our list of the cheapest talking parrots that also make excellent pets!
Budgie/Parakeet – $15 – $100
The Budgie is the world’s cheapest talking parrot. These little parrots are a fantastic option for those of us who wish for a talking parrot but lack the financial means to purchase a more expensive bird.
This little bird is highly vocal and can acquire a broad variety of phrases and melodies for use in bird-to-owner communication.
However, Budgies’ voices are often low and indistinct, making it difficult to understand what they say even when they talk.
But with some training, you can help them with the pronunciation of words, which overall will improve their communication skills.
When buying a budgie, keep an eye out for the males. For some reason, male budgies are trained to speak more than females when bred.
That doesn’t mean that you cannot train a female to talk, just that a male may come home already knowing some words or phrases.
Budgies often retail for between $15.00 to $100.00.
There are several species of parakeets available at a range of price points though, and the majority of them are highly communicative, so you should be able to find one that you can afford.
Cockatiel – $50 – $150
The Cockatiel is another fantastic alternative for those of us who do not have a lot of money and want to buy a talking parrot on a budget.
When it comes to conversing vocally, Cockatiels and Budgies have a similar skill set. They are easily able to pick up simple words or phrases.
Their vocabulary is often less extensive than that of other parrots, and their ability to speak in whole sentences is fairly restricted.
A few simple words or phrases such as “Hello,” or, “Pretty bird,” among other things, are commonly taught to them before they are given away as pets, so your bird will probably know a few things before you train it anyways.
The good thing about Cocktails as well as Budgies is that they can easily pick up what others are saying, so even just having a conversation around the bird will help it to learn new words and phrases.
For their part, cockatiels have a strong sense of community, and to remain tame, they will require frequent interaction, which will also strengthen their ability to communicate.
Cockatiels are available for purchase for between $50 and $150 per bird.
Australian King – $100 – $500
People looking for a talking bird should consider purchasing an Australian King parrot, which is a less expensive alternative to much loved and favored Amazon parrots.
Depending on the parrot, they may cost anywhere from $100 to $500 and require lengthy training before they will be able to talk at length.
Despite this, they are quite lovely birds, and it is a pleasure to look at with their striking red and green feathers.
Even if you are only able to get a few simple words or phrases out of them for a while, the parrot will be very affectionate towards you.
African Ringneck – $200 – $250
While it will take some time for the African Ringneck Parakeet to learn to speak, with your help, they will eventually develop the ability.
They are highly intelligent, and with the proper care and attention, they may make wonderful pets.
When it comes to remaining tame and social, they demand more than the typical parrot engagements and socializations.
They are more likely to revert to their wild side and act disruptively if they do not have regular engagement or stimulation, so before committing to this parrot, ensure that you can provide all of this regularly.
These parrots not only make great pets, but they are also very pretty to look at.
Typically a forest green in color with sometimes a hint of black feathers, you will love spending time and admiring your new pet.
It’s very easy to see why they are so favored in the bird community.
The African Ringneck is frequently available for purchase for roughly $200 but could go up to $250.
Parrotlet – $150 – $600
The term “parrotlet” literally translates as “little parrot” in the English language, so you won’t be surprised to learn that these are the tiniest parrots kept in captivity.
At just five inches from head to tail and weighing just 30 grams, these are tiny birds.
Even though male Parrotlets are known to be more competent at communicating than female Parrotlets, this does not rule out the potential that female Parrotlets will eventually learn to communicate as well.
If you give your bird enough time, patience, and commitment, you will hear it repeat a few words or phrases.
While the price of purchase varies for all parrot species, for the Parrotlet, you may see a wide range of costs. That is because their price is determined by the color of their feathers.
The rarer the color, such as a light blue, the more expensive the bird will be. Depending on how the bird looks, expect to pay anywhere from $150 – $600.
Monk Parakeet – $450 – $700
In certain circles, the Monk Parakeet is referred to as the Quaker Parakeet, which is a nickname for the bird.
Usually found in stunning green, white and yellow colors, this little bird is known for being incredibly clever and social, and it has the potential to construct extraordinarily large vocabularies, despite its small size.
Monk Parakeets will range in price from $450 to $700 per bird.
The Blossom-Headed Parakeet – $600 – $900
Even though the Blossom Headed Parakeet is an extremely clever and communicative bird, they are not usually kept as pets. That does not mean that they make bad pets though.
They can be quite sociable and talkative when trained well.
Because of their rarity, these birds command a price of up to $600 to $900.
Macaw – $700 – $1000
For its brilliant colors and even more dynamic personalities, the Macaw is well-known for its excellent mimicking of human language, which it regularly employs to interact with humans.
It has been stated that they can memorize up to 100 unique words at one time.
Price varies depending on breed, but on average a Macaw is worth between $700 and $1,000, with a Blue and Gold Macaw costing upwards of $15,000 in exceptional instances.
African Gray – $800 – $3000
Some people may be surprised to learn that the Einstein of parrots isn’t the most costly bird to purchase.
African Gray parrots are considered to be the most intelligent of all parrots capable of talking.
Some researchers believe that they are one of the most intellectual birds in the animal kingdom, and this has been confirmed by scientific studies.
Following significant research, it has been shown that the African Gray’s capacity to talk may be on par with that of a human child at a young age in terms of vocabulary, so if you want to be sure that your bird will talk, this is the breed to go for.
The price of an African Gray can vary depending on whether you adopt one or get it from a breeder, but no matter what you will have a very intelligent and fun bird to chat to.
Yellow-Crowned Amazon – $1000
The Yellow-Crowned Amazon is considered to be nearly as good as the Yellow-Naped parrot in terms of performance, and they have a reduced tendency to bite than their counterparts, making them easier to maintain as pets.
The fact that they have instances when they talk incredibly clearly and loudly is well-known, and they can form sentences when they talk.
The Yellow-Crowned Amazon will set you back around $1,000.
Yellow-Naped Amazon – $1200 – $2500
The Yellow-Naped Amazon is the most well-known of the Amazon parrots, in part because of its remarkable ability to communicate in both English and Spanish.
It is also regarded to be the most charming of the Amazon parrots.
The Yellow-Naped Amazon is a very clever animal that enjoys singing, and it is no different than the other Amazons.
The astounding ability of these computers to recreate the human voice and cadence is also well-known, and they will mimic your speech with such accuracy that you will believe you are speaking for the first time in your life.
In terms of price, the Yellow Naped Amazon can be purchased for anywhere between $1,200.00 and $2,500.00, depending on its condition and availability.
Summary
With so many options to choose from when it comes to budget talking parrots, you are spoilt for choice in terms of talking pets.
Prices for parrots can range from a few hundred or a few thousand dollars, so keep your budget in mind when buying these pets.
Harlan Derricks, nice to meet you. I created this online resource in the hopes of educating more people about the wonders of parrots, including their species, sizes, and more.
But I don’t just want to stop with parrots. I want to give every bird an opportunity to be marveled at and rescued by my education. If just one of my readers learned something valuable about budgies, cockatiels, or parakeets, then I’d be happy with my success.
