As clever as a small child
A grey parrot called Alex learned to name colours, shapes and numbers, and to ask for what he wanted.
Parrots · For experienced keepers
African grey parrot
Parrot · from the rainforests of central Africa
A medium-sized grey parrot with scalloped feathers, a pale face, a black beak and a short, bright red tail.
- Size
- About 33cm long
- Lives for
- 40 to 60 years
- Suits
- Experienced, devoted owners with hours to give
Hops and flaps after you, muttering. Move your pointer and see.
Good to know
Six things about the african grey
The best mimic
It copies voices so exactly that you can tell who it learned from, along with the phone, the doorbell and the microwave.
Sixty years
It can live for sixty years, and often needs more than one owner in its lifetime.
In trouble in the wild
So many were trapped for the pet trade that it is now endangered. Trade in wild birds is banned.
It picks a favourite
It often bonds with one person and is wary of everyone else.
It suffers when bored
A grey without enough to do may pull out its own feathers.
The real thing
Photos of the african grey
Photos are from Wikimedia Commons, used under the free licences shown. They have been resized, and cropped where they appear in link previews.
Looking after one
It needs a very large cage, several hours out of it every day, puzzles and toys that are changed often, and a varied diet. It needs conversation as much as food.
Before you get one
This is one of the most demanding pets there is. Many end up rehomed. It suits someone who wants a companion for life, and means it.
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