What does your bird say that only you can understand?

[ImmunoGoblin]

I stopped at the bird store to stock up on food and the cutest little Hahn's macaw was boarding. He kept insistently telling me *something* but I could not quite make it out. I'm sure it's the kind of thing where his owners would recognize exactly what he said. Do your birds have any of those words/phrases?
Our cockatiel knows exactly one phrase: "Hey there, buddy." He can't articulate as well as our Amazons can, so it's not quite obvious what he's saying if you don't know what it is - but once you know it, it's unmistakable.

 

[Jayyj]

Alice doesn't even try to use human words but I know what all her little squeaks, chirps and whispers mean! I've learned to repeat a few of the easy ones, but frankly I think she's underwhelmed by my progress...

 

[lucy1]

I don't have children but remember a friends daughter learning to speak. She would garble something vaguely word-like at me and expect an answer. This scared me no end and I refused to be left alone with said child unless someone was there to translate for me...

I have since learned that parrots are not all that different- sometimes only mum can understand them!

Milo (B&G macaw) does a good 'Hello', a good 'Yo!' (my shameful substitution for hello when no one is listening) and a reasonable 'Good Boy'. Thankfully, only a mother can understand the rest. We have 'Is that nice?' when trying to scrounge person-food, 'Too Loud!' when the noise (usually the amazons) gets above a certain level, 'Come on' when trying to get the cat out and 'Gentle' (usually follows a deliberate nip and evil laugh...) The most indistinct is 'Stop it!' which breaks my heart each time I hear it- I can't even pretend he learned that from a previous owner!

 

[ImmunoGoblin]

If "Stop it!" is the worst thing he's ever picked up from you, you sound like a pretty patient bird owner to me! Don't beat yourself up too much
My OWA allegedly knows how to say "shut up!" according to his previous owners, but I haven't heard it yet. I've also tried not to reinforce his occasional screaming fits, which I'm pretty sure is how he learned to say "shut up" in the first place!

 

[Sterling1113]

My conures have random jibber jabber.. I'm pretty sure they both make the same sounds, as they tend to copy each other. If they aren't chattering at the same time I can usually tell who is who.
I'm pretty sure Kiwi says "Hi birdies" "What?" "Whatcha doin?" and I *think* she's trying to say "Pascal", the white caps name. But she says it in a high-pitched, sarcastic, mocking-like tone. Sort of like a child who mockingly repeats something someone said because he feels it is unfair. Makes me sad because I feel like she's still not "okay" with the new flock member when she says it.

But of course the boyfriend doesn't really understand anything of what she says other than "Kiwi". But, in my defense, I'm here with them all day while he's at work, so I hear more of the chatter than he does.

 

[ruffledfeathers]

Many things Gilbert says are not super clear. I know what he is saying based on context and intonation and what it sounds like that I have said to him. "Give Kiss" isn't super clear (sounds like "Gi Ki, mmmuah") and his "go poop" isn't totally clear to everyone else. (He says it at appropriate times, even when the dogs are stopping to poop along our walk but it is not really CLEAR.)

Even my budgie was CLEARER than Gilbert's squeaky little voice, but I can understand him so he is clear enough to enjoy the interaction!! And he makes me laugh so much that he learned to start laughing after he says certain things.

 

[lquan]

Alice doesn't even try to use human words but I know what all her little squeaks, chirps and whispers mean! I've learned to repeat a few of the easy ones, but frankly I think she's underwhelmed by my progress...

My Lily is the same. She can't mimic human voice. But I can understand some of her squeaks and chirps. I know when she is trying to say "Lily" or "what is this?". Base on her sounds, I can't tell whether she is happy or unhappy.