Learning from a wizard must be fun! I had to learn everything from my extended family. It wasn't nearly as exciting as spending time with Gandalf.

Gandalf speaks with birds and animals but I don't think he taught any of them how to speak. The great eagles simply speak on their own, I think. But no owls. He did spend a great deal of time helping Aragorn though. He was next in line to become king also! -Perhaps it's a very wizard-thing-to-do.