African Greys are by far one of the most intelligent creatures in the bird world. They have been fascinating people with their fantastic talking ability , speaking in sentences that make perfect sense.
Congo African Grey - Click to Enlarge
They are two subspecies of African Greys- the Congo and Timneh.Several Albino Grey Parrots have been described, in which the tail is red, in brilliant contrast to the white plumage. The eyes are pinkish red and the feet and beak light coloured. Congos are larger then the Timnehs and they have the sliver grey color with bright red tail and solid black beak. The timnehs are darker grey with maroon tail and a light, horn-colored beak. Immature birds have the tail darker red and the iris dark grey. They both have same talking abilities, although the Congo is better in mimicking human voices. Some believe that the Timneh start to talk at an earlier age then congos, and they are more outgoing and not as shy. I personally do not think that is true, I strongly believe that it all depends on how the baby has been socialized and handled form an early age. Also, the amount of quality time you spend with your grey on daily basis has a tremendous impact on his personality and vocabulary as well. Alex -The Einstein in the parrot world , has proved all that !
“A lot of people have heard about Alex, and they want to have an Alex,” said Dr.Pepperberg. ” Of course, they forget that Alex gets eight hours of undivided attention per day.”
That being said , brings a lot of controversies. Most people have big expectations and expect they baby greys to have a 200 word vocabulary by the age of one. It doesn’t work that way. Each grey is different. My pet Paco is 9 years old congo african grey and he barely says 10-15 words. He is constantly with me , gets plenty of attention and exercises every day , but he is just not a talker. That doesn’t really matter to me, I love him for what he is! He brings so much joy and love into my live. May be one day, out of the blue, he will become a great talker, but even if that never happens, he is still my boy and my best friend.
Greys can learn to imitate the sounds around them, sometimes to the annoyance of member of the household who cannot distinguish between the ring of the telephone and the bird’s imitation. Many greys are adept at whistling tunes, for whistling is a part of their natural range of calls.
African greys are shy birds. They need time to get to know a person and gain their trust. Very rarely greys will show their repertoire in strange places and for unknown people. They are being at its best when it is completely relaxed and in its own home. Always be very patient with a grey. Generally speaking, they are not as loving as the macaws or cockatoos, but they make up with their super intelligence and talking abilities. I have heard statements that greys are one person bird, not good with children and so on… Again, I don’t believe that is true, as long as everyone in the household handles them, they will all enjoy their pleasant company. Greys will always have a favorite, but they will tolerate every member of the family if they receive the respect they deserve.
Greys are quiet birds, they whistle, laugh, talk most of the time, if threaten or scared of something , they will growl , but that is not nearly as loud as a Cockatoo scream.
They are a few rules the every owner should follow:
- Never neglect a grey, the are prone to feather plucking, which is is extremely difficult or impossible to cure
- Make sure your grey gets baths regularly, their plumage produces plenty of feather dust
- Greys lack on calcium. Their diet should contain enough calcium for their well being
- Watch what you say in front of your grey, they will pick up anything they hear, even bad words
To me the African Grey is one of the best family companions you can ever have. No one should consider keeping on of these birds unless he or she is able to devote much time to it every day.They can be the most delightful companions imaginable and their intelligence is a constant source of wonder.
