Posted by Beth Anne Quinlan, PhD Avian Sciences on 3/14/2020 to
Companion Birds
Also known as the Grey Parrot, the African Grey is a medium-sized parrot found in the rain forests of West and Central Africa. They are primarily grey in color with a distinctive red tail. In the wild, African Greys feed on palm nuts, seeds, fruits, and leafy matter, and have also been observed eating snails. Experts regard this bird as one of the most intelligent birds in the world. Studies of these amazing parrots have proven their ability to work in groups to solve problems.
There are two subspecies of African Grey parrots: the Congo and the Timneh. The Timneh is the smaller of the two. They start talking at a younger age and are usually more social than their larger cousin. The Timneh has a darker grey coloring with a maroon tail and a light-colored upper mandible. The Congo is a lighter grey with a cherry colored tail and an all-black beak. They have grey irises until they are about year old, when their irises change to a pale yellow.
The main reason people are first attracted to the African Grey parrot is their ability to mimic sounds and voices. In the wild, they have been known to mimic mammals as well as other birds. In captivity, they mimic the sounds of their world including telephones, alarm clocks, cats, dogs, car horns, microwaves, and more. Most talking birds sound like birds. African Greys have the ability to identify and mimic different voices. It can be hard to distinguish between the parrot and the human they are mimicking.
Their sociability, intelligence, and overall gentle nature can make African Grey Parrots excellent pets. They have a devoted following among parrot owners. African Greys require a special commitment by their owners to provide frequent one-on-one interaction and supervised play time. They must be kept entertained and busy with people and toys or they may become stressed and develop self-destructive behaviors. African Greys require large cages, varied diets that include fresh foods, and plenty of safe and destructible toys.
If not provided with these items, African Greys quickly develop unpleasant behaviors and may eventually develop health problems (such as feather-plucking) that are difficult to remedy. Even the healthiest, happiest pet African Grey will generate a fair amount of mess and noise. Like most parrots, they are not domesticated, and even a well-socialized, hand-raised, aviary-bred bird is only one or two generations removed from its wild ancestor.Click here to vew our selection of African Grey Parrot gifts and African Grey Parrot home decor.
There are two subspecies of African Grey parrots: the Congo and the Timneh. The Timneh is the smaller of the two. They start talking at a younger age and are usually more social than their larger cousin. The Timneh has a darker grey coloring with a maroon tail and a light-colored upper mandible. The Congo is a lighter grey with a cherry colored tail and an all-black beak. They have grey irises until they are about year old, when their irises change to a pale yellow.
The main reason people are first attracted to the African Grey parrot is their ability to mimic sounds and voices. In the wild, they have been known to mimic mammals as well as other birds. In captivity, they mimic the sounds of their world including telephones, alarm clocks, cats, dogs, car horns, microwaves, and more. Most talking birds sound like birds. African Greys have the ability to identify and mimic different voices. It can be hard to distinguish between the parrot and the human they are mimicking.
Their sociability, intelligence, and overall gentle nature can make African Grey Parrots excellent pets. They have a devoted following among parrot owners. African Greys require a special commitment by their owners to provide frequent one-on-one interaction and supervised play time. They must be kept entertained and busy with people and toys or they may become stressed and develop self-destructive behaviors. African Greys require large cages, varied diets that include fresh foods, and plenty of safe and destructible toys.
If not provided with these items, African Greys quickly develop unpleasant behaviors and may eventually develop health problems (such as feather-plucking) that are difficult to remedy. Even the healthiest, happiest pet African Grey will generate a fair amount of mess and noise. Like most parrots, they are not domesticated, and even a well-socialized, hand-raised, aviary-bred bird is only one or two generations removed from its wild ancestor.Click here to vew our selection of African Grey Parrot gifts and African Grey Parrot home decor.