- Byname:
- African gray or gray parrot
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What is an African gray parrot?
The African gray parrot (Psittacus erithacus) is a parrot species native to Africa, recognized by its scalloped gray plumage. A smaller, darker variant, Psittacus erithacus timneh, is known as the Timneh parrot.
African grays are highly intelligent, capable of associating sound and meaning and using English to count, label objects, and differentiate them by color, material, and shape. They are social birds that communicate through vocalizations and mimicry, and can form strong bonds with humans. They eat seeds, nuts, fruit, flowers, bark, and invertebrates.
The African gray is considered vulnerable due to being sold on the international market.
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Where do African gray parrots live in the wild?
The African gray parrot is native to Africa, ranging from islands in the Atlantic Ocean, such as Sao Tome and Principe, to eastern CĂ´te dâIvoire, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. They inhabit lowland rainforests, but will also go into savannas, mangroves, and agricultural land for food.
These parrots are social birds, often foraging in groups of fewer than 50 and roosting in groups of up to 1,000. They roost on coastal or river islands or near clearings to avoid predators. They communicate through various vocalizations to coordinate flocking, warn of danger, and express anger.
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What does an African gray parrot look like?
The African gray parrot ( Psittacus erithacus) is known for its gray plumage. The nominate subspecies, P. erithacus erithacus, also called the Congo African gray, has silvery gray coloring that is darker on the head and wings and lighter on the belly. The feathers on the head and body are edged in white, giving a scaled appearance. Its tail feathers are bright red, and older birds may randomly have red feathers on their bodies. The bare skin on its face is white and may blush when the bird is upset. Its beak is black, and its iris lightens from black to yellowish silver as it matures.
The males are slightly larger than the females. The Congo African gray ranges from 30 to 40 cm (12 to 16 inches) in length and weighs 400â650 grams (0.8â1.4 pounds). Another subspecies, P. erithacus timneh, is a darker steel gray with a dark maroon tail and a black-tipped upper mandible that darkens from shell-pink at the base.
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Why are African gray parrots known for being smart?
African gray parrots are known for their intelligence due to their capacity to associate sound and meaning, moving beyond mere mimicry. Studies, such as those involving an African gray parrot named Alex, have demonstrated that these parrots can use English to count, correctly label objects by shape and color, and differentiate objects by material and shape. Their intelligence ranks among the highest of nonhuman animals, with some researchers comparing their reasoning abilities to those of a human child. Their capacity for speech extends from their highly social nature, using vocalizations to communicate, establish territory, and engage in social bonding.
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How can African gray parrots mimic human speech?
African gray parrots are known for their ability to mimic human speech with remarkable accuracy. Parrots, including the African gray, can imitate a wide range of sounds because of vocal learning, which stems from their complex vocal apparatus and brain structures.
These birds are highly social animals, so their talking ability comes from their social nature. In the wild, they use vocalizations to communicate with their flock and establish territory. When kept as pets, they see humans as part of their flock and use their vocal skills to interact with them. Studies have shown that they can associate sounds with meanings and understand the context in which certain sounds are used. The intelligence of the species is thought to rank among the highest of nonhuman animals.
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What are some challenges African gray parrots face in the wild and as pets?
African gray parrots face several challenges both in the wild and as pets. In their natural habitat, they are preyed upon by raptors and monkeys, and they often inhabit politically unstable regions, making population surveys difficult. The high demand in the international market has led to significant population decline due to capture and trade, with many birds dying during capture or transport.
As pets, African gray parrots require proper training and a balanced diet; otherwise, they can become destructive and aggressive. Neglect and stress may lead to feather plucking, a difficult-to-correct neurosis. Despite the ban on importing wild-caught birds in some regions, a substantial market persists in the Middle East, East Asia, and Africa.
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African gray parrot, (Psittacus erithacus), species of parrot (order Psittaciformes) characterized by distinctive scalloped gray plumage. The African gray is native to a wide swathe of Africa, from offshore islands in the Atlantic Ocean, including Sao Tome and Principe to eastern CĂ´te dâIvoire through Nigeria, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo into Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. Some authorities recognize a smaller, darker variant, Psittacus erithacus timneh, as a separate species, the Timneh parrot (P. timneh). Its range extends from Guinea-Bissau south and east into Sierra Leone, Liberia, and CĂ´te dâIvoire.
Physical features
The nominate, and most numerous, subspecies, P. erithacus erithacus, sometimes known as the Congo African gray, is silvery gray in colour; the colour is darker on the head and wings and lightens on the belly. Head and body feathers are edged in white, giving the birds a scaled appearance. The tail feathers are bright red. Red feathers may appear randomly among the body feathers of older birds as well. South African breeders have selected for the latter quality over many generations, leading to all-red birds that sell for exorbitant sums. The face is covered in bare white skin that may blush when the bird is agitated. The iris of the eye is black upon hatching and lightens to yellowish silver as the bird matures. The beak is black. P. erithacus timneh is a darker steel gray and possesses a darker maroon-coloured tail and an upper mandible that darkens from shell-pink at the base to black at the tip.
The African gray is slightly sexually dimorphic, the males being larger. P. erithacus erithacus ranges from 30 to 40 cm (12 to 16 inches) long and weighs 400â650 grams (0.8â1.4 pounds). Psittacus erithacus timneh is smaller, some 23â28 cm (9â11 inches) long and 250â375 grams (0.6â0.8 pound).
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Habits
African grays prefer lowland rainforest through most of their range, venturing into surrounding savanna, mangroves, and agricultural land for food. They prefer to forage in groups of usually fewer than 50 birds. The species is largely frugivorous, eating seeds, nuts, and fruit from multiple genera, including Bombax, Ficus, Macaranga, and Raphia, with a special preference for the fruit of the oil palm (Elaies guineensis). It supplements its diet with flowers, bark, and invertebrates, including insects and snails. It also descends to the ground to ingest clay and soil, probably for nutrients and antiparasitic compounds. When foraging in trees, it prefers to use its beak and feet to climb between branches rather than flying.
A flocking bird, the African gray congregrates in groups that may include as many as 1,000 birds to roost at night. Where possible, they roost on coastal or river islands or near clearings in order to avoid predators. Highly social, they communicate through a variety of raucous vocalizations that serve to coordinate flocking, warn of danger, and express anger toward rivals. The birds have been observed mimicking the calls of other bird species and even that of a bat.
The species is prey for various raptors, including palm-nut vultures (Gypohierax angolensis). Nestlings and eggs are taken by monkeys. A flock of African grays that has been alerted to a predator may fall silent before abruptly breaking cover and loudly screaming. Wild birds typically live to be about 20 years old; captive specimens have lived to be nearly 50.
Reproduction
African grays reach sexual maturity when they are between three and five years old. They mate for life. In most regions, the birds breed during the dry season; some populations breed twice a year. While flocks may nest in loose aggregations, a pair requires its own tree, where it creates a nest in a cavity some 30 metres (100 feet) off the ground. The pair enacts a dance in which both partners droop their wings prior to mating. The female then remains in the nest cavity, where she lays three to five eggs. The male feeds her until the eggs hatch 20â30 days later.
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The young parrots fledge in 10â12 weeks, though they remain closely associated with their parents for an additional two to three years. During that period they become habituated to the social structure of the flock and learn the meanings of various calls. Young birds are submissive to older flock members.
Relationship to humans
In culture and as pets
The African gray is important to the Nigerian Yoruba people. Its tail feathers and image are used in the creation of masks worn during their Gelede social and religious festival. The red coloration of the tail feathers is seen as representative of both menstrual blood and the bright red oil of the oil palm upon which it feeds. The birdsâ vocal nature led to their characterization in Yoruba folklore as spies and sentinels.
The first recorded observance of African grays by Westerners occurred in 1402, when France occupied the Canary Islands, where the species had been introduced. As Portugalâs trade relationship with western Africa developed, more birds were captured and kept as pets in Europe. African grays appear in paintings by Peter Paul Rubens (1629/30), Jan Davidsz de Heem (c. 1640â50), and Jan Steen (1663â65).
The African gray remains popular in the pet trade, and many captive breeding programs exist. The species is engaging and intelligent andâbecause of its social, flocking natureâforms strong attachments to its human caretakers. However, if not properly trained, it can become destructive and aggressive. A balanced diet, including fresh foods, is essential, as are regular sessions of socialization. Neglect and stress can lead to episodes of feather plucking, a damaging neurosis that is challenging to correct. Responsible breeders will not sell young birds until they can feed on their own. After they learn that skill, there exists a roughly two-month windowâcoincident with wild fledglingsâ introduction to the rest of the flockâduring which it is best to transfer them to new homes.