Parrots often have a stereotype that they are loud, however, is this true?
Also, are some species of parrot louder than others?
Both of these are questions that any current or potential parrot owner would like to know before they get a parrot.
Plum Headed Parakeets are moderately loud when compared to other parrot species. However, they do not make noise all of the time and will make the most noise when out of their cage. For those owners who are concerned about the level of noise, it is manageable enough and will only become severe when the bird is close to you such as being on your shoulder. If you live in an apartment with people around you, the noise should be OK and should not disturb the neighbors.
Below are some other common questions that us at Parrot Website get about Plum Headed Parakeets.
How Loud Are Plum Headed Parakeets When Compared to Other Birds?
As explained above, parakeets are in the middle of the scale when it comes to how loud they are.
But, what does this mean when compared to other birds and are the levels of sound that they make safe?
Well, the quietest parrot you can get is a parrotlet, whose noises will measure in at 65dB.
To put that in perspective, that is quieter than traffic and is just louder than the level of noise produced by a dishwasher or by conversation.
In terms of dangerousness, this is well below a dangerous level.
Parakeets are only just ahead of parrotlets coming in at 68Db.
Once again, this is quieter than traffic and only just louder than your average conversation.
There are birds who are much louder than this such as Cockatoos and Conures who can reach levels upwards of 150Db, levels that are dangerous and will cause pain.
In reality, parakeets really are quiet birds and one that even when compared to other birds and other common sounds, really do not amount to much.
Why Are Plum Headed Parakeets Loud?
Understanding why a parakeet makes noise is as important as understanding how much noise it makes.
Parrots are very intelligent animals and need a lot of mental stimulation for them to live happy and healthy lives.
Part of that stimulation comes from noise.
Parakeets will learn about something via the noises that it makes, often times this comes from mimicking the sounds they hear- that is why many parrots will often repeat things that you have said.
Strangely enough, the same area of a parakeet’s brain that mimics sound is also responsible for movement and is the reason why some parrots appear to dance to music.
Another reason for a parakeet to imitate human sounds is that they want to fit in.
Much like humans do, parrots feel peer pressure and the pressure to fit in and be like other parakeets or humans is so great that they will copy those in their environment.
This is also present in the wild as parakeets will share important information and try and fit in with the rest of the flock- the importance of fitting in and being part of a flock is clear as they can all share responsibilities like looking for food and watching for predators.
What Kind of Things Will a Parakeet Say?
As mentioned above, a parakeet will talk a lot and the bird will learn via mimicking sounds it hears.
With that said, what kind of sounds can you expect your Plum Headed Parakeet to make?
Firstly, they will mimic sounds that you make.
A parakeet will mimic sounds that those around them make in order to fit in and guarantee themselves security via numbers.
Any sound that you or others make could be mimicked by your Plum Headed Parakeet and indeed any other noise that an animal or human makes.
Parrots will also make sounds such as trills, whistles and squawks depending on their mood.
This will become particularly apparent if your Plum Headed Parakeet is happy and will sing just like a human will in the shower.
The song will not quite be like a garden bird’s song but it will be full of your bird’s favorite sounds which may include the ones mentioned above.
Some parrot species will sing more often and louder than others, but Plum Headed Parakeets will be in the middle of this scale and their song is of a manageable volume.
When Do Plum Headed Parakeets Make the Most Noise?
Knowing when parakeets make the most noise is important for knowing how to keep them and for knowing whether parrots are going to be a good option for you.
Plum Headed Parakeets in general will make noise for a number of reasons: they are happy; they are mimicking something or they are trying to communicate something.
All birds will make noise when they are happy, however, some birds will mimic sounds and communicate more than others.
Plum Headed Parakeets are very average when it comes to this and there will be birds that make more noise and there will be birds that make less noise.
A parakeet will also make a lot of noise when the bird is happy.
The kind of noises you can expect your parrot to make when happy will be a mixture of squawks, trills and shrieks but will not sound like a song that we know it.
How Can I Make my Plum Headed Parakeet Quieter?
Some of your Parakeet’s screeches will be natural and you can do nothing to help them, however, some can be stopped and there are methods that you can employ to quieten a loud bird.
The first way is to give your parakeet a bath.
This may sound strange and the kind of thing that will not work, however, birds are known to be quieter once they have had a bath.
Also, this allows you some time to pamper your bird and express some true love to it in a way that nothing else can.
Another way is to buy them a chew toy or to just fill their mouth with something.
No animal on earth, not even parakeets, can make noise when there is something in their mouth.
Food also works here and providing your bird with an interesting food source will go a long way to stopping their ear-splitting noise.
If you can’t beat em.
A third way to stop your Plum Headed Parakeet from making noise is to sing along with them.
This will make it so that you actually find it less annoying and allows you to have fun with you parrot in a way that you might not have been able to before.
You could also consider this a bonding activity and an opportunity to get closer to your parrot.
It should be noted that these methods will only work if the noises they are making are not their natural noises.
Can Parakeets Stay in Apartments?
One of the major concerns for Plum Headed Parakeets is that they are loud and therefore, might not be suitable for apartment living.
Surely, all the noise that the parrot makes will disturb the neighbors and may upset the landlord enough that he sets out a parrot-themed ultimatum.
However, the truth may surprise you.
Plum Headed Parakeets are not loud at all and so can be kept in an apartment.
Although, it should be noted that some parrots will be louder than others so you should also check with the individual parrot and base it from there.
Even then, using the techniques explained above, even louder parakeets can be brought under control, and if you can recognize patterns of when they are loud during the day, it will mean that you can time these techniques around it.
Aside from this there are other considerations.
Parakeets need plenty of stimulation in order to be mentally healthy and so may suffer if you have a 9-5 job.
Once again, some parrots will need more stimulation than others within a species so you should always check with the individual first.
Making the cage and their surroundings as interesting as possible will go some way to keeping your parakeet healthy throughout the day.