The African Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus) is a medium-sized parrot of the genus Psittacus, endemic to primary and secondary rainforest of West and Central Africa, and is considered one of the most intelligent birds. As their name implies, they are predominantly grey, with accents of white. Some of their feathers are very dark grey, and others are a lighter grey color. They have red or maroon tails, depending on the subspecies. They feed primarily on nuts and fruits, supplemented by leafy matter. Systematics (but see below) Family Cacatuidae (cockatoos) Subfamily Microglossinae (Palm Cockatoo) Subfamily Calyptorhynchinae (dark cockatoos) Subfamily Cacatuinae (white cockatoos) Family Psittacidae (true parrots) Subfamily Loriinae (lories and lorikeets) Subfamily Psittacinae (typical parrots and allies) Tribe Arini (American psittacines) Tribe Cyclopsitticini (fig parrots) Tribe Micropsittini (pygmy parrots) Tribe Nestorini (kakas and... For other uses, see Genus (disambiguation). ... The Daintree Rainforest in Queensland, Australia. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... For other uses, see Bird (disambiguation). ... This article is about the zoological term. ...

Description

The African Grey Parrot is around 33 cm long, with predominantly grey plumage, darker wings, and a pale grey rump. The head and neck feathers have paler margins, giving that part of the body a scalloped appearance. The area around the eyes is whitish, and the short broad tail red or maroon.^[1]

Taxonomy and systematics

The African Grey Parrot was one of the many species originally described by Linnaeus in his 18th century work, Systema Naturae, and it still bears its original name of Psittacus erithacus. It is the only currently accepted species of the genus Psittacus. The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek psittakos (ψιττακος), "parrot".^[2] Carl Linnaeus, Latinized as Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as  , (May 13, 1707[1] – January 10, 1778), was a Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist[2] who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of nomenclature. ... Cover of the tenth edition of Linnaeuss Systema Naturae (1758). ... For other uses, see Species (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Genus (disambiguation). ... Note: This article contains special characters. ...

Timneh African Grey Parrot
Psittacus erithacus timneh

There are two subspecies universally accepted^[1]: Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 3. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 3. ... This article is about the zoological term. ...

• Congo African Grey Parrot, Psittacus erithacus erithacus: these are larger birds (about 12 inches/30cm long) with light grey feathers, cherry red tails, and black beaks. The Congo grey parrot is found on the islands of Príncipe and Bioko and is distributed from south-eastern Côte d’Ivoire 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 gray coloring, a darker maroon tail, and a light, horn-colored 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 70km east of the Bandama River in Côte d’Ivoire. In aviculture, it is often called a "TAG".

Some aviculturalists recognize a third and even a fourth subspecies, but these are not distinguishable in scientific studies^{[citation needed]}. Príncipe is the smaller of the two major islands of São Tomé and Príncipe off of Africas west coast. ... Bioko (spelled also Bioco) is an island off the west coast of Africa in the Gulf of Guinea, formerly called Fernando Pó or Fernando Póo. ... Look up Côte dIvoire in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Government Embassy of Côte dIvoire in Japan government information and links News allAfrica - Côte dIvoirenews headline links Overviews BBC News - Country Profile: Ivory Coast CIA World Factbook - Cote dIvoire Library of Congress Country Study... Map of Côte dIvoire showing the Bandama River in the center of the country The Bandama River is the longest river in Côte dIvoire with a length of some 800 kilometers. ... Look up Côte dIvoire in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Government Embassy of Côte dIvoire in Japan government information and links News allAfrica - Côte dIvoirenews headline links Overviews BBC News - Country Profile: Ivory Coast CIA World Factbook - Cote dIvoire Library of Congress Country Study...

The "Ghana African Grey", formerly recognized as subspecies Psittacus erithacus princeps, is described as similar to the Congo African Greys, but darker and slightly smaller which originates from Fernando Poo and Principé Islands.

The "Cameroon African Grey", most often referred to as "the big silvers", is supposedly a larger and lighter form which actually has its origin in birds not from Cameroon but from today's Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Mimicry and intelligence

Main article: Talking birds

While comparative judgements of animal intelligence are always very difficult to make objectively, Psittaciformes are generally regarded as being the most intelligent of birds. African grey parrots are particularly noted for their cognitive abilities, believed to have evolved as a consequence of their history of cooperative feeding on the ground in central Africa. Talking birds are birds who can imitate human speech. ... The term Animal intelligence is currently used in three distinct but overlapping ways: as a synonym for animal cognition, to pose the question “are animals intelligent?”, or to denote a discussion of relative levels of intelligence in different animal species. ... Families Cacatuidae Psittacidae The order Psittaciformes (Parrots) includes about 353 species of bird which are generally grouped into two families: the Cacatuidae or cockatoos, and the Psittacidae or true parrots. ... Look up Cognition in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article is about evolution in biology. ... Co-operation or co-operative behaviours are terms used to describe behaviours by biological organisms which are beneficial to other members of the same species. ...

Irene Pepperberg's extensive research with captive African greys, especially the one known as Alex, has shown that these parrots are capable of associating human words with their meanings, at least to some extent. Ambitious claims of language use have also been made for another African grey, N'kisi, who has a vocabulary of around a thousand words and speaks in sentences. Although there exists a great deal of debate as to just how well these birds actually understand the meaning of the words they speak, there is little doubt that Greys and other parrots (especially macaws and cockatoos), along with corvines (crows, ravens, and jays), are highly intelligent in comparison with other birds. Dr. Irene Pepperberg (born April 1, 1949, Brooklyn, New York) is a scientist noted for her studies in animal cognition, particularly in relation to parrots. ... Alex (1976 - September 6, 2007[1]) was an African Grey Parrot who, from 1977 to 2007, was the subject of a thirty-year-long experiment conducted by animal psychologist Irene Pepperberg, initially at the University of Arizona and most recently at Harvard and Brandeis University. ... This article is about a parrot. ... Genera Ara Anodorhynchus Cyanopsitta Primolius Orthopsittaca Diopsittaca For other uses, see Macaw (disambiguation). ... This article is about the family of birds. ... For other uses, see Crow (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Raven (disambiguation). ... Genera Garrulus Podoces Ptilostomus Perisoreus Aphelocoma Gymnorhinus Cyanocitta Calocitta Cyanocorax Cyanolyca The jays are several species of medium-sized, usually colorful and noisy passerine birds in the crow family Corvidae. ...

African Grey Parrots as pets

A pet Congo African Grey parrot

The history of African Grey parrots kept as pets dates back over 4,000 years. Some Egyptian hieroglyphics clearly depict pet parrots^{[verification needed]}. The ancient Greeks also valued parrots as pets. This custom was later adopted by wealthy Roman families who often kept parrots in ornate cages, and parrots were prized for their ability to talk. King Henry VIII of England also had an African Grey parrot. Portuguese sailors kept them as companions on their long sea voyages. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 448 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1712 × 2288 pixel, file size: 733 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Cinderella, picture taken 3/7/2006, New York City File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 448 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1712 × 2288 pixel, file size: 733 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Cinderella, picture taken 3/7/2006, New York City File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... A section of the Papyrus of Ani showing cursive hieroglyphs. ... Note: This article contains special characters. ... Ancient Rome was a civilization that grew from a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula circa the 9th century BC to a massive empire straddling the Mediterranean Sea. ... A cage designed for medium-large parrots, with a playtop. ... “Henry VIII” redirects here. ...

Today, many African Grey parrots are hand-reared by breeders for the pet trade, and they make wonderful and very affectionate companion parrots; however, because they can be unpredictable at times, they may not be compatible with small children. African Grey parrots are very strong, and they can bite with their powerful beaks. Their nails are naturally sharp and can scratch, although they don't use them aggressively. Pet owners often liken the experience of keeping an African Grey to that of raising a young child, not only because of the birds' intelligence, but also arising from the substantial time commitment which they require. While captive-bred birds usually assimilate into their new households with relative ease, wild-caught African Grey parrots require considerably more time to adapt to living with humans, and have a tendency to growl and panic when they are approached. Unlike more common pets, African Grey Parrots have not been greatly "modified" by selective breeding; they are only available as wild-type birds. As opposed to the many color varieties available in budgies and Rose-ringed Parakeets, the closest the African Grey Parrots get to a color variant are the "Cameroon African Greys" which, due to the restrictions on trade in wild birds, are today effectively a strain of the CAG that has been bred for a light color and large size. Companion parrot is a general term used for any parrot kept as a pet that interacts with its human a great deal, while companion parrots is the collective designation for any species of parrot that is considered by practitioners of aviculture to make an affectionate pet parrot. ... Budgie has several meanings: Budgerigar, a type of bird Budgie (band), a rock band Budgie (album), the self-titled debut album of the above band Budgie (TV series), a 1971 British TV drama starring Adam Faith Budgie (drummer), the pseudonym of Pete Clarke, drummer of Siouxsie & the Banshees and The... Binomial name (Scopoli, 1769) Original (wild) range The Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri), also known as the Ringnecked Parakeet, is a gregarious tropical parakeet species that is popular as a pet. ...

African Grey parrots, like most pet parrots, are very high-maintenance pets, as they require a great deal of personal attention. While numbers vary with each source, most agree that three hours out of cage daily and 45 minutes of physical interaction is the minimum attention required for good mental health. African Greys – particularly Congo African Greys – are known to be shy around strangers, and tend to bond solely with their main caretaker if they do not interact with different people regularly. While interspecies friendships with other parrots are uncommon with African Greys, they require socializing with other parrots of any species.

African Greys require plenty of stimulating toys to keep them from becoming bored and possibly even neurotic while confined to their cage. These toys need to be rotated and switched out regularly in order to maintain the bird's interest. For an African Grey spending most of its day in the cage, 36"W x 24"D is a good cage size. The height of a cage is typically not important, except in the case of playtop cages that are taller than the owner, in which case the bird can become territorial. An African Grey who spends most of its time on a playstand, and uses the cage solely for sleeping, only needs a cage large enough that the bird's wingspan doesn't touch the cage's sides, and that its head and tail do not touch the cage's top and bottom, respectively. The bar-spacing should from be ¾ inch to 1 inch. A companion African Grey should be kept in a bird-safe environment and placed in a busy part of the home, such as the living room, where the bird can occupy himself or herself in watching the household activities. A neurosis, in psychoanalytic theory, is an ineffectual coping strategy that Sigmund Freud suggested was caused by emotions from past experience overwhelming or interfering with present experience. ... Bird-safe (alternatively bird-proof) is a term used to describe objects and surroundings that are safe for captive birds and it is most commonly associated with pet birds. ...

African Greys have special dietary requirements, and should be fed plenty of foods rich in calcium and Vitamin A — such as almonds, small amounts of cheese, or leafy greens including mustard greens or broccoli. It is usual to give African grey parrots carefully calculated quantities of calcium and vitamin supplements. An excess of these added vitamins and minerals in an African Grey’s diet can lead to health problems. In order to prevent free flight, which could lead to loss or possible injury, only a few feathers need to be clipped from the wings of an African Grey, since they are heavy birds. Clipping too many feathers can severely impair flight, and may lead to injuries, as they may have a tendency to crash to the ground. If very young birds are wing-clipped, they may never gain full coordination and agility in flight. Feather clipping should never be attempted by those inexperienced at it, as serious injury could result. African Grey parrots' lifespans are up to about 60 years, or more, in captivity.

Dangerous foods

• Chocolate
• Avocado
• Onions, cooked or raw, must be eliminated from your parrot's food. Onions contain a chemical which kills red blood cells.
• Table salt, or any salty snack. It can cause increased thirst, increased water consumption, and increased urination.
• Any alcoholic beverages.
• Apple seeds (as they contain cyanide)^[3]
• Mushrooms
• Dairy products that contain lactose, small amounts of cheese may be ok, check with a veterinarian for amounts

Look up veterinarian in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Status and conservation

A Congo African Grey parrot

A Congo African Grey parrot

Rarer than previously believed, it is uplisted from a species of Least Concern to Near Threatened in the 2007 IUCN Red List.^[4] A recent analysis suggests that up to 21% of the global population may be taken from the wild annually, ^[5] primarily for the pet trade. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2000 × 1500 pixel, file size: 848 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Its the same than File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2000 × 1500 pixel, file size: 848 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Its the same than File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List and Red Data List), created in 1963, is the worlds most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species and can be found here. ...

The species is endemic to primary and secondary rainforest of West and Central Africa.^[6] Grey parrots depend on large, old trees for the large natural hollows used for nesting. Studies in Guinea and Guinea-Bissau have found that the preferred species of nesting trees for grey parrots are also preferred timber species.^[7] There is a positive relationship between the status of the species and the status of primary forest: ^[8] where the forests are declining, so too are populations of grey parrots.^[9] The Daintree Rainforest in Queensland, Australia. ... Old growth forest, sometimes called late seral forest, ancient forest, virgin forest, primary forest or ancient woodland is an area of forest that has attained great age and exhibits unique biological features. ... This article is about forests as a massing of trees. ...

The African Grey Parrot is listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This requires that exports be accompanied by a permit issued by a national authority and that a finding has been made that the export is non-detrimental to the species in the wild. With exports totaling more than 350,000 specimens from 1994-2003,^[10] the grey parrot is one of the most heavily-traded CITES-listed bird species. In response to continuing population declines, exceeded quotas and unsustainable and illegal trade, including among range States, CITES included the grey parrot in Phase VI of the CITES Review of Significant Trade in 2004. This review has resulted in recommended zero export quotas for several range States and a CITES Decision to develop regional management plans for the species. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is an international agreement between Governments, drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members of the World Conservation Union (IUCN). ...

In the United States, importation is prohibited under the U.S. Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992.

See also

• Alex (parrot)
• N'kisi
• Bird-safe

Alex (1976 - September 6, 2007[1]) was an African Grey Parrot who, from 1977 to 2007, was the subject of a thirty-year-long experiment conducted by animal psychologist Irene Pepperberg, initially at the University of Arizona and most recently at Harvard and Brandeis University. ... This article is about a parrot. ... Bird-safe (alternatively bird-proof) is a term used to describe objects and surroundings that are safe for captive birds and it is most commonly associated with pet birds. ...

In literature

• The character 'Gerard' in Michael Crichton's novel Next is a transgenic African Grey

External links

Footnotes

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

References

• Athan, Mattie Sue & Deter, Dianalee (2000): The African Grey Parrot Handbook. Barron's Pet Handbooks, Hauppauge, NY. ISBN 0-7641-0993-6
• BirdLife International (2004). Psittacus erithacus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 09 May 2006.
• BirdLife International (2007a): [ 2006-2007 Red List status changes ]. Retrieved 2007-AUG-26.
• BirdLife International (2007b): Grey Parrot - BirdLife Species Factsheet. Retrieved 2007-AUG-26.
• Forshaw, Joseph M. & Cooper, William T. (1981): Parrots of the World (3rd ed.). Lansdowne Editions, Melbourne, New York. ISBN 0701806907
• Greene, W.T. & Batty, J. (1993): African grey parrots. Beech Publishing House, Alton. ISBN 1-85736-027-3
• Juniper, Tony & Parr, Mike (1998): Parrots: A Guide to Parrots of the World. Christopher Helm, London. ISBN 1873403402
• Liddell, Henry George & Robert Scott (1980): A Greek-English Lexicon (Abridged Edition). Oxford University Press, United Kingdom. ISBN 0-19-910207-4
• Linnaeus, Carolus (1758): Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. (10th edition, vol.1). Laurentius Salvius, Holmius (= Stockholm). PDF fulltext
• Mancini, Julie R. (1998): The African Grey. Howell Book House, New York. ISBN 0-87605-443-2
• Moustaki, Nikki (2004): A New Owner's Guide to African Grey Parrots. TFH Publications, Neptune City, NJ. ISBN 0-7938-2855-4
• Mulawka, Edward J. (1984): African Grey Parrots. TFH Publications. ISBN 0-86622-975-2
• Pepperberg, Irene (2002): The Alex Studies: cognitive and communicative abilities of grey parrots. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts & London. ISBN 0-674-00806-5
• Wright, Maggie (2001): African Grey Parrots: everything about history, care, nutrition, handling, and behavior. Barron's Pet Handbooks, Hauppauge, NY. ISBN 0-7641-1035-7