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African Grey Parrot

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Birds

                    iAfrican Grey Parrot
   Congo African Grey Parrot Psittacus erithacus erithacus
   Congo African Grey Parrot
   Psittacus erithacus erithacus

                             Conservation status

   Least Concern (LC)
                  Scientific classification

   Kingdom: Animalia
   Phylum:  Chordata
   Class:   Aves
   Order:   Psittaciformes
   Family:  Psittacidae
   Genus:   Psittacus
   Species: P. erithacus

                                Binomial name

   Psittacus erithacus
   Linnaeus, 1758

                                 Subspecies

   P. e. erithacus
   P. e. timneh

   The African Grey Parrot is a medium-sized parrot of the genus
   Psittacus, native to Africa. As the name implies, they are
   predominantly grey, with accents of white. Some of their feathers are
   very dark grey and others are a lighter grey colour. They have red or
   maroon tails depending on the subspecies. They feed primarily on nuts
   and fruits, supplemented by leafy matter.

Subspecies

   There are two subspecies:
     * Congo African Grey parrot, Psittacus erithacus erithacus - these
       are larger birds (about 12 inches/30cm long) with light grey
       feathers, deep red tails and black beaks.
     * Timneh African Grey parrot, Psittacus erithacus timneh - these are
       smaller in size, have a darker charcoal gray coloring, a darker
       maroon tail, and a light, horn colored upper mandible.

   Some avian enthusiasts (incorrectly) recognize a third subspecies,
   Ghana African Grey (Psittacus erithacus princeps). This bird is
   described to be similar to the Congo African greys, but darker and
   slightly smaller; however, scientifically this subspecies has not been
   found to be recognizable. Among breeders, there is said to be a fourth
   subspecies, the Cameroon African Grey, most often referred to as the
   big silvers.

Mimicry and intelligence

   Congo African Grey Parrot
   Enlarge
   Congo African Grey Parrot

   While comparative judgements of animal intelligence are always very
   difficult to make objectively, Psittaciformes are generally regarded as
   being 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 extensive research with captive African greys,
   especially the individual known as Alex, has 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, N'kisi, who has a vocabulary of over one thousand
   words and speaks in sentences. Although there exists a great deal of
   debate as to just how well these birds actually understand the meaning
   of the words they speak, there is little doubt that Greys and other
   parrots (especially macaws and cockatoos), along with corvines (Crows,
   Ravens, and Jays), are highly intelligent in comparison with other
   birds.

African Grey Parrots as Pets

   The history of African Grey parrots kept as pets dates back over 4,000
   years. Some Egyptian hieroglyphics clearly depict pet parrots. The
   ancient Greeks also valued parrots as pets, and this custom was later
   adopted by the Wealthy Roman families often kept parrots in ornate
   cages, and parrots were prized for their ability to talk. King Henry
   VIII of England also had an African Grey parrot. The Portuguese sailors
   kept them as companions on their long sea voyages.

   Today, many African Grey parrots are hand reared by breeders for the
   pet trade and they make wonderful and very affectionate companion
   parrots; however, because they can be unpredictable at times, they may
   not be compatible with small children. African Grey parrots are very
   strong and they can bite with their strong beak and scratch with their
   talons. Pet owners often liken the experience of keeping an African
   Grey to raising a young child, both for the birds' intelligence and for
   the substantial time commitment which they require. While captive-born
   birds usually assimilate into their new households with relative ease,
   wild-caught African Grey parrots require considerably more time to
   adapt to living with humans, and have a tendency to growl and bite when
   they are approached. The Convention on the International Trade in
   Endangered Species ( CITES) has rendered all sales of captive wild
   parrots illegal.

   African Grey parrots, like any pet parrot, are very high-maintenance
   pets, as they require a great deal of personal attention. While numbers
   vary with each source, most agree that three hours out of cage daily
   and 45 minutes of physical interaction is the minimum attention
   required for good mental health. African Greys – particularly Congo
   African Greys – are known to be shy around strangers, and tend to bond
   solely with their main caretaker if they do not interact with different
   people regularly. While inter-species friendships with other parrots
   are uncommon with African Greys, they require socialization with other
   parrots of any species.

   African Greys require plenty of stimulating toys to keep them from
   becoming bored while confined to their cage. These toys should be
   rotated and switched out regularly so as to maintain the bird's
   interest; because of their high intelligence, they quickly become tired
   of . For an African Grey spending most of its day in the cage, 36"W x
   24"D is a good cage size. The height of a cage is typically not
   important, except in the case of playtop cages that are taller than the
   owner, in which case the bird can become territorial. An African Grey
   who spends most of its time on a playstand and uses the cage solely for
   sleeping only needs a cage large enough so that the bird's wingspan
   doesn't touch the cage's sides and its head and tail do not touch the
   cage's top and bottom, respectively. The bar-spacing should from be ¾
   inch to 1 inch. A companion African Grey should be kept in a bird-safe
   environment and placed in a busy part of the home, such as the living
   room, where the bird can occupy him- or herself in watching the
   household activities.

   African Greys have special dietary requirements and should be fed
   plenty of calcium- and Vitamin A-rich foods, such as almonds, small
   amounts of cheese, or leafy greens like mustard greens, broccoli, etc.
   It is usual to give African grey parrots carefully calculated
   quantities of calcium and vitamin supplements. An excess of these added
   vitamins and minerals in an African Grey’s diet can lead to health
   problems. Only a few feathers should be clipped from the wings of an
   African Grey since they are heavy birds. Clipping too many feathers can
   severely impair flight and may lead to injuries as they may have a
   tendency to crash to the ground. If very young birds are wing clipped
   they may never gain full coordination and agility in flight. African
   Grey parrots' lifespans are up to about 50 years (or more) in
   captivity.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Grey_Parrot"
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