The African Grey Parrot is a medium-sized parrot about 12 inches/30cm long (Congo subspecies) of the genus Psittacus, native to Africa. As the name implies, the African grey parrot is predominantly grey, with accents of white and a red or maroon tail depending on the subspecies. African Grey parrots, like all parrots, are zygodactyl, having 4 toes on each foot—two front and two back. They feed primarily on nuts and fruits, supplemented by leafy matter.
While comparative judgements of animal intelligence are always very difficult to make objectively, Psittaciformes are generally regarded as being amongst the most intelligent of birds. African grey parrots are particularly noted for their cognitive abilities, which are believed to have evolved as a consequence of their history of cooperative feeding on the ground in central Africa.
Irene Pepperberg's research with captive African grey parrots, including Alex, have 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 parrot, called N'kisi, who has a vocabulary of over a thousand words; assertions that this bird has also exhibited powers of telepathy are more controversial. However, there is little doubt that African Greys and other parrots (especially macaws and cockatoos) are highly intelligent in comparison with other birds.
African Grey parrots captured in the wild need time and effort to adapt to human presence, and have a tendency to growl. Hand-fed African Grey parrots generally make wonderful and very affectionate companions. Pet owners often refer to their relationship with them as being "like having a five-year-old child." (See above.) They are generally thought to be the best mimics of all parrots. While this is probably true, the apocryphal reports of some Greys learning the "ultrasonic sounds" of TV remote controls are almost certainly false (most, if not all, remotes use infrared light rather than any frequency of sound to communicate with the TV).
Anyone considering getting an African Grey parrot as a pet should note that they quickly become bored unless provided with stimulating toys and interaction with their owners. Their lifespans are 40+ years in captivity.
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There are two subspecies:
Congo African grey parrot, Psittacus erithacus erithacus
Timneh African grey parrot, Psittacus erithacus timneh
Congo African grey parrots (CAGs) are larger birds with light grey feathers, deep red tails and black beaks. The other subspecies, Timneh African grey parrots (TAGs), are smaller in size, have a darker charcoal grey coloring, a darker maroon tail, and a lighter horn colored beak. A few authors recognize a third subspecies, Ghana African grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus princeps), which is similar to CAG, but darker and slightly smaller.
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