The African Grey

Facts

The African Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus) is a medium sized parrot endemic to primary and secondary rainforest of West and Central Africa. Experts regard it as one of the most intelligent birds. They feed primarily on palm nuts, seeds, fruits, leafy matter, but have been observed eating snails. Their overall gentle nature and their inclination and ability to mimic speech have made them popular pets. This has led many to be captured from the wild and sold into the pet trade. The African Grey Parrot is listed on CITES appendix II, which restricts trade of wild caught species, because wild populations can not sustain trapping for the pet trade. As a pet, they must be entertained, or they start to pluck their feathers, resulting in having no feathers at all. In captivity, The african grey parrot can live up to 70 years of age.

 There are two subspecies universally accepted:

 Congo African Grey Parrot –Pictured Psittacus erithacus erithacus): This is the nominate subspecies, larger than the Timneh at about 33 cm (13 in) long, with light grey feathers, cherry red tails, and an all black beak. Immature birds of this subspecies have tails with a darker, duller red towards the tip (Juniper and Parr 1999) until their first moult which occurs within 18 months of age. These birds also initially have grey irises which change to a pale yellow colour by the time the bird is a year old. The Congo grey parrot is found on the islands of Príncipe and Bioko and is distributed from south-eastern Ivory Coast to Western Kenya, Northwest Tanzania, Southern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Northern Angola. In aviculture, it is often called a "CAG".

Timneh African Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus timneh): These are smaller in size, have a darker charcoal grey colouring, a darker maroon tail, and a light, horncoloured area to part of the upper mandible. The timneh grey parrot is endemic to the western parts of the moist Upper Guinea forests and bordering savannas of West Africa from Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone and Southern Mali east to at least 70 km (43 mi) east of the Bandama River in Ivory Coast. It is often called a "TAG". As pets Timnehs begin learning to speak earlier than Congos, and are often said to be less nervous around strangers and novel situations.

Their sociability and intelligence can make African Grey Parrots excellent pets with a strongly devoted following among parrot owners. These same qualities mean that African Greys require special commitment by their owners including frequent one-on-one interaction and supervised time out of their cage. They also require large cages, a varied diet that includes fresh foods, and plenty of safe and destructible toys. When not provided with these things African Greys quickly develop unpleasant behaviors and can eventually develop health problems that are difficult to remedy (such as featherplucking). Even the healthiest, happiest pet African Grey will generate a fair amount of mess and noise. Like most parrots, they are non-domesticated, and even a well-socialized, hand-raised and aviary bred bird is only one or two generations from a wild predecessor. Despite this, there is a long recorded history of African Greys kept by the ancient Greeks, wealthy Roman families, King Henry VIII, Portuguese sailors, and others.

 Care and Feeding

Specialized pelleted diets are highly recommended and should consist of 60–70% of the diet; use fortified seeds in moderation as they are higher in fat and less nutritious than pellets. Fresh fruits and vegetables, such as grapes, bananas, cantaloupe, broccoli, and carrots Clean, fresh, filtered and chlorine-free water changed daily. Do not feed birds fruit seeds, avocados, chocolate, alcohol or caffeine as these can cause serious medical problems.

If your bird is used to a seed diet, convert to pellets gradually Fresh pellets or seeds and fresh, clean, chlorine-free water should always be available Fresh fruits and vegetables should be given daily; discard when not eaten within 24 hours; parrots appreciate quality and variety in their food.

Birds acclimate well to average household temperatures; be cautious of extreme temperature change; cage should be placed off the floor in an area that is well-lit and away from drafts A cage approximately 32" W x 23" D, with metal bars spaced no greater than 3/4" apart, makes a good home for your parrot; as with all animals, it is best to provide the largest habitat possible; a flight cage is strongly recommended Perches should be at least 9" long and ¾-1" in diameter; a variety of perch sizes to exercise feet and help prevent arthritis is recommended A metal grate over the droppings tray will keep the bird away from droppings; line the droppings tray with cage paper or appropriate substrate for easier cleaning; to avoid contamination, do not place food or water containers under perches.

Clean and disinfect the cage and perches regularly; replace substrate or cage liner weekly or more often if needed; replace food and water daily.

Replace perches, dishes, and toys when worn or damaged; rotate new toys into the habitat regularly.

Ensure that there are no cage parts or toys with lead, zinc or lead and lead-based paints or galvanized parts as these can cause serious medical issues if ingested by your bird.

Provide a bowl of filtered, chlorine-free, lukewarm water regularly for bathing; remove the water when done; as an alternative, mist the bird with water or a grooming spray.

Clipping flight feathers is not necessary, but when done correctly it can help prevent injury or escape; consult an avian veterinarian on what is best for your bird.

Nails should be trimmed by a qualified person to prevent injury to the bird.