Help me train my parrot to talk! :)

[IagoTheIRN]

So I've had my precious Iago for about a year now. Almost 6/7 months to be exact actually. And according to the guy I got him from, iago was about 7 months old back then- which means he's around a year old now.
He whistles really well and does the kiss sounds really well too. But he hasn't quite started talking. I started playing a recorded clip of m voice saying 'hello! Hello! Pretty bird!' Before he has dinner. But that didnt really work out because after the first few sessions he escaped his cage and climbed onto the area where he eats and started eating before I came back to feed him myself! So now I just serve him dinner and play the recording in the background. I don't know if that's working though.
He hasn't gotten a ring around his neck yet either, but I'm not too worried about that right now because I've heard it can take upto 2 years to appear. So do they start talking once their ring comes in? Or is it my teaching method that needs to be altered?
Any helpful advice would really be appreciated!

[emsy991]

Are you positive you have a male?

[Eric&Rebecca]

Not all birds will learn to talk. Its just one of those things. Gender shouldn't really be so important unless your breeding or have multiple birds in the same cage. Although males of all speicies are more like to talk, not all do.

You can create a talking environment but really there's not too much more you can do. The bird will either talk or it won't. I would look at it as he/she will never talk and accept that, that way if he does it'll be a bonus

[pennyandrocky]

eric&rebecca is so right I knew my my whole life until he died 2 years ago he never said a word. it was fine with me as long as he was happy and healthy that's all that mattered. the only way to guarantee a talker is to adopt an older bird that speaks. they say what they want when/if they want to.

[marie83]

I can't say talking birds has ever been something I've been bothered about, birds communicate and talk to us in their own language. If they pick up the odd word then that's fine with me, it certainly has the potential to entertain us but entertainment is not why I (or anyone should) keep parrots. I wouldn't go out of my way to teach words, most of mine have never spoken. If I did decide to teach them though I wouldn't use recordings etc as I feel it would just become background noise or irritate the bird. I would probably just repeat the word/phrase a few times at random intervals during the day and hope for the best.

[featherluv5]

I can't say talking birds has ever been something I've been bothered about, birds communicate and talk to us in their own language. If they pick up the odd word then that's fine with me, it certainly has the potential to entertain us but entertainment is not why I (or anyone should) keep parrots.
.

couldn't agree MORE!! it should just be a plus! try learning their language!!
then mabey he/she will try to learn yours

[Pajarita]

I agree with both previous posters, if they talk, it's good but, if they don't, it's good, too. Besides, for what I know, IRN's are not known for their talking ability.

[mrbowlerhat]

Besides, for what I know, IRN's are not known for their talking ability.

I actually think they kind of are, especially males have been known to say a bunch of words and pretty clear - my male still knows some Polish from the family he lived with 13 years ago. They're also especially known for their cute little voices.
I am however not sure if talking is that USUAL, I just know that at least the ones who do talk usually end up pretty good at it.

With that said, I also agree with everyone else here. I don't really care about talking, I've had about 10 parrots in my life, and I've never heard any of them talk (not even Nicko, the Ringneck. If he decides he doesn't want to talk here, I'm fine with it. I don't remember what phrases he says, so I can't even encourage him - if he wants to talk, he'll talk, and that'll probably be fun, but I definitely won't mind if he doesn't.)

I think it's awfully cute when they talk in context, but they're already awfully cute anyways, so it doesn't matter at all, haha.

[cml]

Look up Marnie the irn on YouTube, he's Stitch's favorite.

[Pajarita]

Yes, I've also heard and read about their supposed talking ability but I know several personally and none of them say a single word so I am thinking they might be like budgies, a very few of them are excellent but most of them are not good at all at it.