Does the case of a lost parrot who gave his owners name & address more proof of the sentience of animals?

Question

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/05/21/lost.parrot.ap/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

Answer 1

OK ALL YOU DOUBTERS....

I invite you all over to my house to experience my bird Mariah....She is a Cockatoo...and I have been told "many" times they do not talk...guess what she does...She knows names of people, and she will call out to them as they enter a room...and she never says that name at any other time...I breed birds and have alot of babies right now...she will walk up to them and say: "awwww, look at the babies momma"...(she calls me Momma)..she knows the other birds names all so...if she wants to go to bed she says ni-nite!!!  If she wants a cracker, she says cracker please and then says thank you when I give it to her...she will chase a ball like a dog does, and bring it back to me to throw again...and she says 1-2-3 go...!!!

She will call my cats by name...and when they come running screams at them with a "Evil Laugh"...lol

Don't tell me these birds just mimic...

Its not true...

I am making a video right now to go on YOU TUBE...you'll see and be amazed!!!

Answer 2

LOL...no. If they'd trained the bird to say "go shag yourself" it would have said that instead.

Answer 3

Nope. The parrot is not naturally able to speak "human". Their tongues are cut to shapeto be able to mouth certain words. And it was taught to say that among other things. It could just have easily said four letter expletives if that was what all it was taught to "parrot". No different from a dog trained to react to certain words or situations. My dog Roobi will also do certain things when she wants something. she has "trained" me to give her food when she picks at her bowl. Or pet her on the head when she licks my hand. Remember that parrots mimic sounds. If you say bye everytime you leave the house, then theyb will do that too. It could actually mean "Please don't leave me all by myself" as far as they are concerned for all you know.

But I don't think anyone can seriously argue that animal aren't sentient either. the fact that they make their own choices even though instinct driven is  proof enough that they are sentient. Different prides of lions for example attack their prey differently and will make changes (read choices) depending on the situation.

Answer 4

I doubt this, but man seems to underestimate animals all the time, particularly to claim special abilities over the animal kingdom.

Once I was climbing stairs to a business I'd never visited before, in a new town, and suddenly above me I heard a loud greeting "Hello [my name]!"  Shocked, I looked around and a few moments later saw a very mute parrot in its cage. Why it called out MY name, I'll never know. I went back a couple of times, and it never sang my name again.

Answer 5

parrots only mimic what they are told, they cant have intelligent conversations..if this was true why do parrots sit down with you an ask you how your day was and tell you what they did....because they cant...they mimic that's all, but yes they are sentient but they dont speak properly

http://www.bigsiteofamazingfacts.com/can...

"Although some parrots have been known to learn to speak as many as 50 words, the fact is that parrots are excellent mimics. When they speak, they are really only mimicking words and do not understand what they are saying. Don't be fooled by the parrot who shrieks "Hello" when you come in, it might say the same thing when you leave! And the parrot who says "Polly wants a cracker" is not telling you it is hungry."

oh yes while there are many intelligent animals...we dont eat them....we here in Britain dont eat monkeys or dolphins which are smart...we do eat cows and sheep which are pretty dumb by comparison

EDIT i know of plenty of parrots that dont talk a word...does this disprove your theory...no...simply because parrots mimic...they didnt go to school and learn the meaning of words...THEY MIMIC YOU!

ASKER i know you gave me a thumbs down...you just dont seem to understand that simply because a parrot can say some words doesnt mean they know what they mean

Answer 6

that is beautiful.

Any way i do not need proof i am already convinced

it is much more than just mimicking.

Monkeys ,parrots ,and any other animals in nature are very specific when for example they insult crows or  a predator walking by  .

There is definite intent behind the sounds .

you should see and hear birds in my garden when they spot a squirrel ,they hate them and that comes across very clear,

there is so much language ,between the same specie as well as how they talk to other species, The problem is few people take the time to try and notice it

Take a guy from the city ,put him in the bush and he will hardly see or hear anything ,his eyes and mind are not tuned in.



whilst a person who lives in the bush will hear and see a beetle walking by.His vision is much more full

We live in 11 dimensions ,but only see 3 of them

And of those 3 dimensions we see only 3 %,

we are practically deaf and blind in our own world

Animals see and hear a lot more

Dolphins and Orcas can even experience 4 dimensions

Answer 7

To the people who are saying that parrots are only capable of mimicry, that isn't true. Particularly in the case of a African Grey parrots. There was a very famous Grey that died recently by the name of Alex. He was the subject of a scientific study for over 30 years. The researchers determined that he had the ability to reason on a basic level and to understand words and use them to communicate.

Answer 8

I have heard that parrots have an IQ comparable to that of a 3-year old human child, which is pretty amazing.

Answer 9

lol umm other animals would use us as a source of food if we let them. its a dog eat dog world out there. or rather human eat other animals or whatever lol

Answer 10

Great question.

When talking about sentience, it's pretty clear most people relate this to different levels of intelligence and thought in a being. I am probably more intelligent than the average plant, or perhaps most land animals, and probably think more than they do. However, I am also more intellgent and probably think more than people who have learning disabilities and brain development problems.

We obviously don't judge people by their levels of intelligence or thought processes: we recognise that in them being sentient - them being truly "alive",  is more than just intelligence or thought.

So it always baffles me when people tell me that animals are just food. They clearly are "alive" in the sense we give to people with learning or brain development difficulties, and may be more intelligent in many repects than these people.

Yet, no respect is often given to them. I worry that that says a lot about humanity sometimes.

Answer 11

Learning tricks does not make an animal sentient.  Being aware of their own existance does.  Not many animals are.  Human children don't even become self aware for a year.

Answer 12

Actually, this is nothing to to with sentience.

In the wild young Parrots mimic sounds around them in order to identify themselves to their parents. This helps them to be located in dense vegetation and foliage and thus helps them to survive.

The parrot just mimics a sound but it doesn't understand it, so it cannot be considered to have language skills and cannot be considered to have more intelligence than is needed to survive.

Answer 13

i have a parrot that talks to me all the time the old owner sadly passed away 2 years ago but this parrot can sit and have a convo with u im sure it only says what its been told before but it dos respond  such as......i say hello he says hello i say how was your day he sometimes says rubbish cat (meaning the cat was being player they get on well lol)or he says good fun day ....we have tested him on this by putting the cat near him when we leave and the cat is always ion a playfull mood first thing in the morning so we know he would have been with the bird.so yes my reply is they can learn new things and learn to have convos with u

Answer 14

Of course animals are sentient. Even the plants are sentient. Where is it that God is not? Humans exhibit such arrogance and hubris it is deplorable. Why the human species counts itself to be so special and both highest in sentience and intelligence is remarkable. The human species is slowest to learn to walk, slowest to learn to communicate, slowest to mature, in fact some don't ever manage it even when they are senior citizens! So what give us humans the idea that we are the highest in anything except for destructive power is beyond me.

So right on Polly, keep yourself amused and tell them  what you need when you need it! Lovely bird!