Obviously loving singing with the guitars and people, Tico the parrot’s voice is melodic and distinctive. When he’s not singing, he’s whistling better than any person ever could. Some parrots love to sing and dance because it’s fun. For a long time, it was believed that parrots only danced because they were trained to do so by humans. However, researchers have since discovered that many birds actually enjoy dancing. They seem to be motivated by the same things that inspire humans: music and rhythm. They enjoy the movement and the sound of their own voice. Parrot song is often described as “melodic” or “musical.” This means that it sounds like the human singing we hear on the radio or in movies—which makes sense because parrots are known for their ability to mimic sounds. Some researchers think that birds’ ability to mimic sounds might have evolved as a way of communicating with other members of their species; others believe it’s just an entertaining way for them to pass the time when they’re alone. You can hear as Tico sings that parrots have a very high-pitched vocal range. They can reach up about ten times higher than the average human’s voice. Parrots also have two vocal organs. These two parts allow parrots to produce multiple pitches at the same time—something that humans cannot do! If you want your parrot to sing like Tico, you can encourage your bird to harmonize and sing along. The first step is to play songs that you enjoy and see which ones get a positive response from your parrot. Parrots are highly social animals, and they love to vocalize with other birds—and with humans. They use their singing voices as part of their social interactions with each other and with us. When you encourage your parrot to sing, it may feel like you’re giving him something extra special that he doesn’t get from his cage-mates or you! That’s because he’ll know that when he sings for you, he gets lots of attention—and maybe even treats! This will encourage him to continue singing for the people who give him attention and treats. Another reason parrots like Tico get so much joy from singing and dancing is they are intelligent creatures with complex emotional lives. They experience joy, fear, sadness, and excitement just as humans do. Researchers have discovered birds and humans respond to song in the same areas of the brain! When you play music for your bird, he may be enjoying the rhythm and melody of the song, taking the opportunity to express himself, or he may be happy that you’re giving him a chance to show off his talent! Tico has clearly had plenty of practice singing along with great songs like Bob Dylan’s Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door. It’s hard to deny he’s having fun doing it!
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