African Grey Parrots

African Grey Parrots

I think that the African Grey is one of the most beautiful parrots in the species. It's also one of the easiest species to care for. Obviously, by it's name we can tell that the breed originated from Africa. Central Africa actually. These birds are highly intelligent and are known for their exceptional ability to talk and even think. African Greys will, with proper guidance, develop a rather large vocabulary and can usually communicate quite well with their owners.

There are two different types of African Grey parrots. The Congo African Grey is light grey with a red tail. The Timneh African Grey is a darker charcoal grey with a maroon tail. Both of them are considered to be medium-sized in the greater universe of parrots. They tend to grow to be about 10 to 14 inches in length.

As in most species, the males are generally a bit larger then the females, growing to about 12 to 14 inches in length. But unlike many other species in the aviary kingdom, the appearances of both sexes are pretty much the same. No male superiority here. Upon close examination of two African parrots side by side, we will discover that the Female African Grey Parrot will have a narrower head and a more slender neck.

African Greys have a very long lifespan, sometimes living up to 60 years. That means that these parrots will need an owner who can make a long term commitment to them. In addition, because of their high intelligence, African Grey Parrots require an owner that is experienced and who can understand their needs. They can easily become bored so, a stimulating and interactive environment is a must. Without their intellectual needs met African Greys might turn their boredom into behavioral problems like feather picking and other forms of self mutilation, making life difficult for bird and owner. They are very sensitive birds with strong personalities and even a small change in their daily routine or in their surroundings can lead an African Grey parrot to become cranky and disruptive. Although they are typically well behaved and a great pet these birds bring with them many of the same challenges associated with parenthood. African Greys that are unhappy and undisciplined will get into trouble. They might chew wires or bite the hand that feeds them. They pick up behaviors very quickly so if you inadvertently reinforce bad habits you are going to have a problematic relationship with your African Grey. However, on the other hand you can also easily teach them very good habits and behaviors and have a loving happy relationship with your beautiful parrot.

One of the reasons that African Grey parrots make such great pets is because they are very social birds. In the wild they typically stay with the flock for many years. That flocking instinct is exactly what will allow a new, caring owner of the African Grey parrot adopt this new family as part of their flock. Some of them have been known to "cuddle" with their owners. Although they don't like continual intense physical contact they do enjoy petting and head-scratching. Part of the learning curve of the new owner of the African Grey Parrot is to not be put off by some of their bird's rather strange signs of affections. i.e. Regurgitation for a Grey is a sign of deep affection. They will also try to "kiss" their owners on the mouth. While it very tempting to "kiss" the parrot back, it's really not recommended because the human mouth contains bacteria that is quite dangerous to the bird. Like a child, it is important for the owners to understand that these bird's have a high need for companionship. If a parrot is lonely they may begin to vocalize excessively, pluck their own feathers, or even start to bite. But, because of these tendencies, African Grey parrots may not be good pets for a family with young children. Their beaks are very strong and hard and young Children may not understand the danger to them if the parrot is exhibiting bad behavior.

African Grey parrots are full of personality and human like qualities. Those who are lucky enough to own one will have a pet with an intelligence and personality not equaled in many other animals.