Psittacus erithacus are harassed and preyed on by palm-nut vultures (Gypohierax angolensis). Several species of hawks also prey on fledglings and adults. Monkeys prey on eggs and young in nests. When feeding on the ground, African grey parrots are vulnerable to terrestrial predators.
Known Predators:
The plumage of Psittacus erithacus is various shades of grey with very distinctive red tail feathers. African grey parrots typically measure 33 cm from head to tail and weigh up to 407g. They have an average wingspan of 46-52 cm.
Psittacus e. erithacus> is referred to as the nominate race and is light grey. Individuals of this subspecies have distinct red tails and solid black beaks. These birds have bare white face patches and sometimes bright, usually pale, silvery yellow eyes. Many of the grey contour feathers are edged with white. This gives them a smooth, lacy appearance. They may be somewhat sexually dimorphic.
Psittacus e. timneh individuals are smaller and darker with a maroon, brownish wash over the red tail. They have black-tipped, dark pinkish maxilla and solid black mandibles. Their iris has more of a silver appearance rather than yellow
Average mass: 407 g.
Average length: 33 cm.
Range wingspan: 18 to 20 cm.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism: sexes colored or patterned differently
In captive and wild parrots the average lifespan is between 40 and 50 years. In captivity, African grey parrots have a mean lifespan of 45 years, but they can live up to 60 years. In the wild, the average lifespan is 22.7 years (n=120).
Range lifespan
Status: captivity: 40 to 60 years.
Average lifespan
Status: captivity: 45 years.
Average lifespan
Status: wild: 22.7 years.
Typical lifespan
Status: captivity: 40 to 50 years.
The habitat of African grey parrots is usually moist lowland forests, although they are found up to 2,200 m altitude in the eastern parts of the range. They are commonly observed at forest edges, clearings, gallery forests, mangroves, wooded savannahs, cultivated areas, and gardens. African grey parrots often visit open land adjacent to woodlands, they roost in trees over water and may prefer roosting on islands in rivers. These parrots make their nests in tree holes, sometimes choosing locations abandoned by birds like woodpeckers. In West Africa, the species makes seasonal movements out of the driest parts of the range in the dry season.
Habitat Regions: tropical ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: savanna or grassland ; forest ; scrub forest
Other Habitat Features: suburban ; agricultural ; riparian
African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) span the forest belt of central and West Africa including the oceanic island of Príncipe (Gulf of Guinea). In Western Africa, they are found in coastal countries such as Sierra Leone, Ghana, and the Ivory Coast. The two known subspecies of African Grey Parrots have varying ranges. Psittacus erithacus erithicus inhabits a range extending from Kenya to the eastern border of the Ivory Coast and including the insular populations. Psittacus erithacus timneh has a range from the eastern border of Ivory Coast to Guinea-Bissau.
Biogeographic Regions: ethiopian (Native )
In captivity, African grey parrots often suffer medical problems such as obesity, hypovitaminosis A, hypocalcemia, amino acid imbalance, or micromineral deficiencies. Problems are often associated with poor diets composed of seeds and nuts with supplemented fruits. These food sources contain high levels of carbohydrates. African grey parrots can also have calcium deficiencies which can lead to seizures. They can suffer from respiratory ailments caused by fungal diseases, bacterial infections/pneumonia, and nutritional deficiencies. Other health issues observed are; hyperkeratotic swellings, malignant tumors, tapeworm and blood parasites. They are also susceptible to Psittacine Beak and feather Disease (PBFD).
In captivity, African grey parrots are prone to certain behavioral problems. For example, feather picking in response to social stress. Territory issues can also arise and are more common in males than females.
Captive African grey parrots thrive on a diet of seeds, grain, pellets, and fruits and vegetables. It is suggested that pet owners supplement the diet with calcium in the form of dark leafy greens, calcium-rich vegetables, fruits, oatmeal, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, and sesame seeds. Flax seed and sunflower seed are also strongly recommended. Recent studies have suggested that pelleted diets are considered nutritionally superior to homemade diets and seed mixtures and may reduce the risk of abnormal grit consumption.
Wild African grey parrot flocks follow a daily pattern of vocalizations. Usually the flock is quiet from sunset until the next dawn. At day break, the flock begins to vocalize before setting out to forage at different locations throughout the day. At dusk, upon return to the roosting site, there is a period of vocalization. There are a variety of different types of calls and vocalizations, including alarm calls, contact calls, food begging calls, and agonistic calls. Contact calls are of particular importance because they serve to identify where other members of the flock are and help promote flock cohesion. Alarm calls indicate varying levels of distress, these calls are particularly loud and of a frequency that carries well in order to warn fellow flock members. Young learn these vocalizations from parents and flock mates, so pet parrots will not learn appropriate vocalizations, but will show similar patterns and use of calls. Bottoni et al. (2003) found that African grey parrots demonstrated complex cognitive competence in understanding both the similarities and dissimilarities among musical note frequencies and were able to master the musical code. It was determined that African grey parrots must isolate a sound from background noise, imitate it, categorize the acoustic stimulus, encode it into long term memory, and monitor the output sound to match it with the internal template. The famous African grey parrot, Alex, achieved a rudimentary form of communication, including contextual and conceptual use of human speech. That research showed that African grey parrots are capable of far more than simply mimicing human speech.
Communication Channels: visual ; acoustic
Other Communication Modes: mimicry ; choruses
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Psittacus erithacus is considered to be a near threatened species because of a recent analysis suggesting that up to 21% of the global population may be harvested annually. The quota for African grey parrots in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is 5000, 4000 in Congo, and 250 in Gabon. Unfortunately, there is no law prohibiting capture and trade of parrots. These birds are impacted by habitat destruction, indiscriminate use of pesticides, and hunting by local inhabitants. Trapping for the wild bird trade is a major cause of decline in wild African grey parrots populations.
US Migratory Bird Act: no special status
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: appendix ii
State of Michigan List: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: near threatened
There are no known adverse affects of Psittacus erithacus on humans.
African grey parrots are the second most heavily harvested parrot in the world. The trade between 1980 and 1995 documented an excess of 500,000 birds caught in the wild. From 1994 to 2003, just fewer than 360,000 wild caught parrots were reportedly exported from their native range. They are one of the most popular avian pets in Europe, the United States, and the Middle East. In Principe, trappers heavily harvest African grey parrots for the international pet trade.
Positive Impacts: pet trade ; ecotourism ; research and education
African grey parrots may disperse the seeds of fruits they eat. They act as definitive hosts to both tapeworms and blood parasites.
Commensal/Parasitic Species:
African grey parrots are herbivores. In the wild, they feed primarily on nuts and fruits, supplemented by leafy matter, fruits, insects, bark, and flowers. African grey parrots eat mostly common fruits, such as oil-palm (Elaeis guinensis).
Animal Foods: insects
Plant Foods: leaves; seeds, grains, and nuts; fruit; flowers
Primary Diet: herbivore (Frugivore , Granivore ); omnivore
African grey parrots are very social birds. Breeding occurs in loose colonies with each pair occupying its own tree. Individuals select mates carefully and have a lifelong monogamous bond that begins at sexually maturity, at three to five years of age. Few details are known about courtship in the wild, but display flights around nest holes have been observed and recorded. Males feed mates (courtship feeding) and both sing soft monotonous notes. At this time the female will sleep in the nest cavity while the male guards it. In captivity, males feed females after copulation events and both sexes participate in a mating dance in which they droop their wings.
Mating System: monogamous
The breeding season varies by locality, but appears to coincide with the dry season. African grey parrots breed once to twice a year. Females lay three to five roundish eggs, one each at intervals of two to five days. Females incubate the eggs while being fed entirely by the male. Incubation takes approximately thirty days and the young emerge from the nest at twelve weeks old.
Breeding interval: African Grey Parrots breed once to twice a year.
Breeding season: Reproduction appears to coincide with the dry season.
Range eggs per season: 3 to 5.
Average time to hatching: 30 days.
Average fledging age: 12 weeks.
Range time to independence: 2 to 3 years.
Average time to independence: 3 years.
Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 3 to 5 years.
Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 3 to 5 years.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; oviparous
After the young emerge from the nest, both parents feed, raise, and protect them. Both parents care for their clutch of young until they reach independence.
Parental Investment: altricial ; pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Male, Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Male, Female, Protecting: Male, Female); pre-independence (Provisioning: Male, Female, Protecting: Male, Female); extended period of juvenile learning
The grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus), also known as the Congo grey parrot, Congo African grey parrot or African grey parrot, is an Old World parrot in the family Psittacidae. The Timneh parrot (Psittacus timneh) once was identified as a subspecies of the grey parrot, but has since been elevated to a full species.
The grey parrot was formally described in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae. He placed it with all the other parrots in the genus Psittacus and coined the binomial name Psittacus erithacus.[3] Linnaeus erroneously specified the type locality as "Guinea": the locality was later designated as Ghana in West Africa.[4] The genus name is Latin for "parrot". The specific epithet erithacus is Latin and is derived from the Ancient Greek εριθακος (erithakos) for an unknown bird that was said to mimic human sounds, perhaps the black redstart.[5] The species is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.[6]
The Timneh parrot was formerly treated as a subspecies of the grey parrot but is now considered to be a separate species based mainly on the results from a genetic and morphological study published in 2007.[7][6] Although Linnaeus placed all the parrots known to him in the genus Psittacus, only the grey parrot and the Timneh parrot are now assigned to this genus.[3][6]
The grey parrot is a medium-sized, predominantly grey, black-billed parrot. Its typical weight is 400 g (14 oz), with an approximate length of 33 cm (13 in),[8] and a wingspan of 46–52 cm (18–20+1⁄2 in).[9] The grey colour on the head and wings is generally darker than its body. The head and body feathers have slight white edges. The tail feathers are red.
Due to selection by parrot breeders, some grey parrots are partly or completely red.[10] Both sexes appear similar.[8] The colouration of juveniles is similar to that of adults, but typically their eyes are dark grey to black, in comparison to the yellow irises around dark pupils of the adult birds,[11] and their undertail coverts are tinged with grey.[8] Adults weigh 418–526 g (14+3⁄4–18+1⁄2 oz).[12]
Grey parrots may live for 40–60 years in captivity, although their mean lifespan in the wild appears to be shorter—approximately 23 years. They start breeding at an age of 3–5 years and lay 3-5 eggs per brood.[9]
The grey parrot is native to equatorial Africa, including Angola, Cameroon, the Congo, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda. The species is found inside a range from Kenya to the eastern part of the Ivory Coast.[13][14] Current estimates for the global population are uncertain and range from 630,000 to 13 million birds. Populations are decreasing worldwide.[14] The species seems to favor dense forests, but can also be found at forest edges and in more open vegetation types, such as gallery and savanna forests.[1]
A population study published in 2015 found that the species had been "virtually eliminated" from Ghana with numbers declining 90 to 99% since 1992.[15] They were found in only 10 of 42 forested areas, and three roosts that once held 700–1200 birds each, now had only 18 in total. Local people mainly blamed the pet trade and the felling of timber for the decline.[16] Populations are thought to be stable in Cameroon. In the Congo, an estimated 15,000 are taken every year for the pet trade, from the eastern part of the country, although the annual quota is stated to be 5,000.[16]
Grey parrots have escaped or been deliberately released into Florida, U.S., but no evidence indicates that the population is breeding naturally.[17]
Little is known about the behaviours and activities of these birds in the wild. In addition to a lack of research funding, it can be particularly difficult to study these birds in wild situations due to their status as prey animals, which leads them to have rather secretive personalities. It has been shown that wild greys may also imitate a wide variety of sounds they hear, much like their captive relatives. Two greys were recorded while roosting in Zaire and researchers reported that they had a repertoire of over 200 different sounds, including nine imitations of other wild bird songs and one of a bat.[18]
They are mostly frugivorous as most of their diet consists of fruit, nuts, and seeds. The species prefers oil palm fruit and they eat flowers and tree bark, as well as insects and snails.[10] In the wild, the grey parrot is partly a ground feeder.[19] In captivity, they may be fed bird pellets, a variety of fruits such as pear, orange, pomegranate, apple, and banana, and vegetables such as carrot, cooked sweet potato, celery, fresh kale, peas, and green beans.[12][19] They also need a source of calcium.[13]
Grey parrots are monogamous breeders who nest in tree cavities. Each mated pair of parrots needs their own tree for their nest. The hen lays three to five eggs, which she incubates for 30 days while being fed by her mate. The adults defend their nesting sites.[13]
Grey parrot chicks require feeding and care from their parents in the nest.[13] The parents take care of them until 4–5 weeks after they are fledged.[20] Young leave the nest at the age of 12 weeks. Little is known about the courtship behavior of this species in the wild.[9] They weigh 12–14 g (7⁄16–1⁄2 oz) at hatching and 372–526 g (13+1⁄8–18+1⁄2 oz) when they leave their parents.[12]
Two eggs and a newly hatched chick
One-day-old chick
Older chick
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13 week-old chick
Young grey parrots are more commonly infected by psittacine beak and feather disease than adults. Infected birds may show symptoms such as loss of appetite, fluffy feathers, sluggishness, and reduced walking abilities due to brittle bones.[21] Also, grey parrots are more likely to have rhinitis which is an inflammatory and infectious disease of the nasal cavity. Birds may exhibit signs like wheezing, sneezing, nasal snuffling, and swelling or occlusion of the nares. Treatment options include gentle debridement and nasal irrigation.[22]
Natural predators for this species include palm-nut vultures and several raptors. Monkeys target eggs and the young for food. Grey parrots in captivity have been observed to be susceptible to fungal infections, bacterial infections, nutritional insufficiency, malignant tumors, psittacine beak and feather disease, tapeworms, and blood-worms.[13][19]
Humans are by far the largest threat to wild grey populations. Between 1994 and 2003, more than 359,000 grey parrots were traded on the international market. Approximately 21% of the wild population was being harvested every year. Mortality rates are extremely high between the time they are captured and they reach the market, ranging from 60 to 66%.[14][23] This species also is hunted for its meat and for its body parts, which are used in traditional medicines.[24] As a result of the extensive harvest of wild birds, in addition to habitat loss, this species is believed to be undergoing a rapid decline in the wild and therefore, has been rated as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.[1]
In October 2016, the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Fauna and Flora (CITES) extended the highest level of protection to grey parrots by listing the species under Appendix 1, which regulates international trade in the species.[25]
In 2021, the Kenyan government held a short amnesty, during which grey parrot owners could pay a fee to obtain a permit for their birds and facilitate legal ownership. Following the expiry of this time period, it is now illegal to own this species without a permit.[26]
The species is common in captivity and regularly kept by humans as a companion parrot, prized for its ability to mimic human speech, which makes it one of the most popular avian pets.[1] An escaped pet in Japan was returned to his owner after repeating the owner's name and address.[27]
Grey parrots are notorious for mimicking noises heard in their environment and using them tirelessly. They are highly intelligent birds, needing extensive behavioral and social enrichment as well as extensive attention in captivity or else they may become distressed. Feather plucking is a common symptom seen among such distressed grey parrots,[19] affecting up to 40% of captive individuals.[28] They may also be prone to behavioural problems due to their sensitive nature.[23] Social isolation hastens stress and aging.[29]
The grey parrot is a highly social species which relies on a flock-type structure, even when raised in captivity. Because they are so dependent on the other birds within their flock, much of their speech and vocal ability is acquired through interaction with the humans with whom they reside.[30] Both wild and captive parrots have been shown to use contact calls, which allow them to interact with their flock mates and communicate information about their location, detection of predators, availability of food, and safety status. In addition, contact calls are used to form strong social bonds with their flock mates, or in the case of captive greys, with their human housemates. In captivity, they have been shown to display communicative competence, meaning they not only use human language correctly, but also in such a way that is appropriate for the social situation which they are in.[31]
Grey parrots are highly intelligent and are considered by many to be one of the most intelligent species of psittacines. Many individuals have been shown to perform at the cognitive level of a four- to six-year-old human child in some tasks. Several studies have been conducted, indicating a suite of higher-level cognitive abilities. Experiments have shown that grey parrots can learn number sequences and can learn to associate human voices with the faces of the humans who create them.[32] It has been reported that grey parrots are capable of using existing known English words to create new labels for objects which the bird does not know the name. For example "banerry" ("banana" + "cherry") for "apple", "banana crackers" for "dried banana chips" or "yummy bread" for "cake".[33]
The American scientist Irene Pepperberg's research with Alex the parrot showed his ability to learn more than 100 words, differentiating between objects, colours, materials and shapes.[34] Pepperberg spent several decades working with Alex, and wrote numerous scientific papers on experiments performed, indicating his advanced cognitive abilities. One such study found that Alex had the ability to add numbers as well as having a zero-like concept, similar to that of young children and apes.[35]
In addition to their striking cognitive abilities, grey parrots have displayed altruistic behavior and concern for others. Researchers found that while blue-headed macaws were unlikely to share a nut with other members of their own species, grey parrots would actively give their conspecific partner a nut, even if it meant that they would not be able to get one themselves.[36] When the roles were reversed, their partners were overwhelmingly likely to return the favor, foregoing their own nut to their partner's benefits. This indicates not only a display of selflessness but also an act of reciprocity.
A 2012 study demonstrated that captive grey parrots have individual musical preferences. When presented with the opportunity to choose between two different pieces of music via a touch screen monitor located in their cage, the two birds in the test consistently chose different songs, to which they then danced and sang along.[37] Some pet grey parrots have also been observed using the music feature of smart speakers (such as Alexa or Amazon Echo) to verbally request playback of specific favored songs.[38]
Some research has shown that foot preference can be linked to the number of words a particular parrot may know and use. Researchers found that grey parrots who prefer to use their right foot showed a marked increase in the number of words within their lexicon as compared to parrots who were left-footed.[39] Scientists postulate that parrots may have lateralization of brain function, much like mammals do.
Grey mutations occur naturally in the wild, such as the Blue Ino (albino), the Incomplete Ino, and the Blue varietals. The Blue Ino is all white. The Incomplete Ino has light pigmentation. The Blue has a white tail.
Breeders from South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Scandinavia have bred greys intensively since the 1800s. These bred varieties include the Red Pied, F2 Pied, Grizzles, Ino, Incomplete, Parino, Lutino, Cinnamon, and Red Factor. South African bird breeder Von van Antwerpen and New Zealand partner Jaco Bosman selected F2 Pieds and created the first Red Factor Greys. They are rare, may be predominantly red-pigmented, and vary in price depending upon the extent of the red plumage displayed.[40]
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