The African Grey Parrot

The African grey parrot offers intelligence and bonding habits that many other parrot species don't. The African grey will form a bond with you, talk to you, be playful with you, get angry with you, and love you to pieces! What else could you want from a family pet?

This bird is known by scientists as the Psittacus erithacus--genus and species. It has that one species only; but there are two subspecies. The first of these is named after the species, so it's known as Psittacus erithacus erithacus, more commonly called the Congo African grey. The second is the Psittacus erithacus timneh, or the Timneh African grey. The Congo greys come from the central and western sections of Africa, and they are the larger of the two going at from 14 to 21 ounces. The Timneh grays are indigenous to Sierra Leone and the Ivory Coast area, and they weigh a few ounces less. Avian experts are debating whether the greys found on Principe Island constitute a third subspecies, tentatively called P.e. Princeps, but many believe the Princeps is a variation of the Congo greys.

The greys all have in common a white or gray patch of skin around their eyes and black feet. They all have the wonderfully smooth and soft-looking grey plumage. The Congos are a lighter shade, their beaks are solid black, and their tail feathers are dark red at maturity. The Timnehs have a two-toned beak, and their darker grey feathers contain hints of taupe and maroon.

In their natural habitat, the rainforest areas, these birds live in flocks, and they usually bond in a monogamous fashion with their mate until death or separation ends their relationship. They mostly eat fruit and nuts, which they find at the tops of trees. They are very watchful in their native setting--to avoid being some predator's lunch!--and they are successful at keeping themselves pretty safe because they are among the most intelligent of all birds.

So what can be expected when you decide to make one of these marvelous birds a part of your family? You can expect the African grey to be just like a child. As a rule they will act like a two year old child, but will have the intelligence of a child who is five. It is a native instinct for the parent to bond with a mate, and so, they will become particularly attached to their human owner as a result.

It will be your job to bring your bird into the family and show him that he can trust you. If you are the one he bonds with most solidly, it is your responsibility to ensure that he maintains social behavior with everyone else in the family. You'll find that your African grey is very perceptive of your feelings, most likely because of the observation skills required of these birds in their natural habitat. In fact, your bird will actually notice if you are having a down day, and he'll be eager to interact with you.

If there is a lot of anger and unhappiness in your home, or if there is a lot of shouting and noise, your African grey will not respond to you. He will not like having his beak tapped on. Greys like to live in flocks; therefore, they are accustomed to being treated as equals. Nonetheless, your bird may truly enjoy being in the spotlight!

Bringing one of these birds into your family is akin to bringing home a child to raise. Actually, African greys remain as youngsters for about five years, and they take another five years after that to reach full maturity, so you really are bringing home a child! The life span of a grey is about 40-50 years.

Knowing the proper technique to use on how to get your bird to play with you is important. Convincing the parrot to rock or bob along with you is one way to interact with him in a playful way. Remember to initially move slowly around him because he must build up his trust in you. Some people report that when they purchase a new toy for their bird, they play with it for awhile initially, showing lots of enthusiasm so that the bird will want to play with it as well. Many experts recommend that you keep them close to you throughout the time you spend at home. If you are in the family room, kitchen, or even the bathroom, move his cage or perch close to you so that he can watch what you're doing. He will get enjoyment watching what you are doing, and he enjoys it if you praise him.

Probably the best part is getting them to talk or make noises. These birds are well known for mimicking the sounds around them. They can copy human voices, and they can give precise imitations of other animals as well as local sound effects.

The African grey parrot makes a wonderful addition to any family. You are going to love having this bird!