After their parents give them a signature contact call, parrot chicks are identified by these calls throughout their lives.

With a brain-to-body size ratio comparable to primates and dolphins as well as an ability to mimic human speech, parrots have been widely recognized for their intelligence and vocal capabilities. However, behavioral research has uncovered even greater language sophistication than initially realized. According to a study led by neurobiologist Karl Berg, green-rumped parrots in Venezuela not only call their offspring by a distinctive sound, but other parrots will refer to the chick by the same sound as they grow into adulthood.