Animal-World > Pet Birds > African Grey Parrots

African Grey Parrots

Family: Psittacidae African Grey Congo Psittacus erithacus Photo: © Animal-World Courtesy David Brough

   Members of this family are the best talkers of all the exotic birds!

   African Grey Parrots have been known to have vocabularies of well over 200 words. In one case a bird named "Prudle", a male African Grey, is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as having a vocabulary of over 1000 words.

   In the wild these birds live in flocks of one to two hundred birds.

More about African Grey Parrots:
Description, Care & Feeding, Breeding and Potential Problems

Click on the name or small images below
to access each type of African Grey Parrot.

African Grey Parrots
The best talkers of all the exotic birds!
African Grey Congo	African Grey Timneh
Psittacus erithacus	Psittacus timneh

Subspecies/Descriptions:
  There are only three distinct birds in this genus. Whether or not they are different species, subspecies or simply variants of the main species, Psittacus erithacus, is still open for debate.
   The African Grey Congo, Psittacus erithacus, is found in the west-central part of Africa mainly within 10 degrees north and south of the equator.
   The African Grey Timneh, Psittacus erithacus timneh, differs from the Congo in its size, being noticeably smaller, in its maroon tail, and the pink color of the upper third of the upper mandible . The Timneh naturally occurs in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and the westernmost parts of the Ivory Coast.
   Another seldom seen African Grey, Psittacus erithacus princeps, can only be found on the islands of Principe and Gernando Po in the Gulf of Guinea. This bird is darker than the regular African grey.

Care and Feeding:
   A roomy cage is required unless the bird is to be let out for extended periods. A minimum size is the commonly found parrot cage measuring 18x18 inches square and 30 inches tall. A much larger cage is much preferred since only by standing in the direct center of the cage could a normal sized Grey keep from rubbing its tail on the bottom in a cage this size. Make sure the cage is placed in a well lighted area free from drafts. Many birds can spend most of their time on a play pen or parrot perch. They eat a variety of sprouts, seeds, nuts, fruits, vegetables, commercial pellets, as well as the same nutritional foods humans eat.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   African Greys enter into a lifelong monogamous bond when sexually mature. Like macaws, they pick their mates carefully. When it is time to breed, the male feeds his mate and both will sing soft monotonous notes. The female at this time will sleep in the nest cavity while the male guards it.
   She will lay from 3 to 5 roundish or oval eggs, one each at intervals of two to five days. The female settles on the eggs to incubate them and is fed entirely by the male at this point. Incubation lasts 30 days after which the male now stays busy feeding the whole family! The young emerge from the nest at 12 weeks at which time both parents will be feeding them.

Potential Problems:
   An african grey that is well cared for will seldom become ill. Like most birds classified as parrots, some visible signs of illness to be aware of are ruffled plumage, listlessness, drooping wings, sagging body, extreme mood changes, having no appetite, bulges in feathering, partially closed or watery eyes, swelling of the eyelids, rasping, difficulty breathing, excessive saliva, dirty vent, and any change in the feces not apparently diet related.
   Some of the more common illnesses are psittacosis (chlamydiosis or parrot fever); bacterial, viral, or fungal infections; feather picking (results of boredom, poor diet, sexual frustration, lack of bathing); allergies; chewing flight and tail feathers by juveniles, beak malformations in chicks; Papillomas; kidney disease (gout); toxicity, heavy metal poisoning; lipomas in older birds.
   Immediately provide a warm, draft free, secure environment kept at about 86°F (30°C) for any bird that shows any of these symptoms. Place food and water close to the perch where it is easily accessible. An ailing parrot should be taken to a avian veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible.

   Behavior problems usually stem from something missing in the bird's environment. Boredom, lack of trust, lack of interaction with other birds or people can lead to problems like biting, feather plucking, and screaming. Try to develop a bond of trust and spend time with your bird to help avoid these problems. We have also had good success with Chet Womach's Parrot Training Course. He offers free 3-day introductory course so you can try it out before you buy anything.

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