African Grey Parrot

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African Grey Parrot
Image:Graupapagei3.jpg Congo African Grey Parrot Psittacus erithacus erithacus
Conservation status
Image:Status iucn3.1 NT.svg Near Threatened (IUCN)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Psittaciformes Family: Psittacidae Tribe: Psittacini Genus: Psittacus Linnaeus, 1758 Species: P. erithacus
Binomial name
Psittacus erithacus Linnaeus, 1758
Subspecies
Psittacus erithacus erithacus Linnaeus, 1758 Psittacus erithacus timneh Fraser, 1844 and see text

The African Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus) is a medium-sized parrot of the genus Psittacus, endemic to primary and secondary rainforest of West and Central Africa, and is one of the most intelligent birds. They feed primarily on nuts and fruits, supplemented by leafy matter.

There are two subspecies; the Congo African Grey Parrot and the slightly smaller Timneh African Grey Parrot. As their names imply, both subspecies are predominantly grey. They have dark grey wings, and a pale-grey rump. A featherless rim of skin around the eyes is whitish to light gray. The head and neck feathers have paler margins, giving that part of the body a scalloped appearance. The Congo African Grey has a red tail and the Timneh African Grey has a dark-maroon tail.

The African Grey Parrot is popular as a pet or companion parrot, especially the Congo African Grey Parrot, partly because of its ability to imitate speech. The African Grey Parrot is listed on CITES appendix II which restricts trade of wild caught species, because wild populations can not sustain trapping for the pet trade.

Contents 1 Taxonomy and systematics 2 Mimicry and intelligence 3 African Grey Parrots as pets 3.1 Dangerous foods 4 Status and conservation 5 See also 6 In literature 7 External links 8 Footnotes 9 References

[edit] Taxonomy and systematics

The African Grey Parrot was one of the many species originally described by Linnaeus in his 18th century work, Systema Naturae, and it still bears its original name of Psittacus erithacus. It is the only currently accepted species of the genus Psittacus. The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek psittakos (ψιττακος), "parrot".^[1]

There are two subspecies universally accepted^[2]:

• Congo African Grey Parrot, (Psittacus erithacus erithacus):
  These are larger birds (about 12 inches/30cm long) with light grey feathers, cherry red tails, and black beaks.^[2] The Congo grey parrot is found on the islands of Príncipe and Bioko and is distributed from south-eastern Côte d’Ivoire to Western Kenya, Northwest Tanzania, Southern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Northern Angola. In aviculture, it is often called a "CAG".
• 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. The timneh grey parrot is endemic to the western parts of the moist Upper Guinea forests and bordering savannas of West Africa from Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone and Southern Mali east to at least 70km east of the Bandama River in Côte d’Ivoire. In aviculture, it is often called a "TAG".

Some aviculturalists recognize a third and even a fourth subspecies, but these are not distinguishable in scientific studies^[3].

The "Ghana African Grey", formerly recognized as subspecies Psittacus erithacus princeps, is described as similar to the Congo African Greys, but darker and slightly smaller which originates from Fernando Poo and Principé Islands.

The "Cameroon African Grey", most often referred to as "the big silvers", is supposedly a larger and lighter form which actually has its origin in birds not from Cameroon but from today's Democratic Republic of the Congo.

[edit] Mimicry and intelligence

Main article: Talking birds

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, 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 one 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 around a 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.

[edit] 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^{[verification needed]}. The ancient Greeks also valued parrots as pets. This custom was later adopted by wealthy Roman families who 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. 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 powerful beaks. Their nails are naturally sharp and can scratch, although they don't use them aggressively. Pet owners often liken the experience of keeping an African Grey to that of raising a young child, not only because of the birds' intelligence, but also arising from the substantial time commitment which they require. While captive-bred 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 panic when they are approached. Unlike more common pets, African Grey Parrots have not been greatly "modified" by selective breeding; they are only available as wild-type birds. As opposed to the many color varieties available in budgies and Rose-ringed Parakeets, the closest the African Grey Parrots get to a color variant are the "Cameroon African Greys" which, due to the restrictions on trade in wild birds, are today effectively a strain of the CAG that has been bred for a light color and large size.

African Grey parrots, like most pet parrots, 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 interspecies friendships with other parrots are uncommon with African Greys, they require socializing with other parrots of any species.

African Greys require plenty of stimulating toys to keep them from becoming bored and possibly even neurotic while confined to their cage. These toys need to be rotated and switched out regularly in order to maintain the bird's interest. For an African Grey spending most of its day in the cage, 36"W x 36"D is a good minimum 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 that the bird's wingspan doesn't touch the cage's sides, and that 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 himself or herself in watching the household activities.

African Greys have special dietary requirements, and should be fed plenty of foods rich in calcium and Vitamin A — such as almonds, small amounts of cheese, or leafy greens including mustard greens or broccoli. 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. In order to prevent free flight, which could lead to loss or possible injury, only a few feathers need to 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. Feather clipping should never be attempted by those inexperienced at it, as serious injury could result. African Grey parrots' lifespans are up to about 60 years, or more, in captivity.

[edit] Dangerous foods

• Chocolate ^[4]
• Avocado ^[4]
• Caffeine ^[4]
• Alcohol ^[4]
• Apple seeds (as they contain cyanide)^[5]
• Mushrooms^{[citation needed]}
• Dairy products containing lactose^{[citation needed]}
• Onions, cooked or raw, contain a chemical which kills red blood cells^{[citation needed]}
• Salt (increases thirst, water consumption and urination)^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Status and conservation

Rarer than previously believed, it is uplisted from a species of Least Concern to Near Threatened in the 2007 IUCN Red List.^[6] A recent analysis suggests that up to 21% of the global population may be taken from the wild annually, ^[7] primarily for the pet trade.

The species is endemic to primary and secondary rainforest of West and Central Africa.^[8] Grey parrots depend on large, old trees for the large natural hollows used for nesting. Studies in Guinea and Guinea-Bissau have found that the preferred species of nesting trees for grey parrots are also preferred timber species.^[9] There is a positive relationship between the status of the species and the status of primary forest: ^[10] where the forests are declining, so too are populations of grey parrots.^[11]

The African Grey Parrot is listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This requires that exports be accompanied by a permit issued by a national authority and that a finding has been made that the export is non-detrimental to the species in the wild. With exports totaling more than 350,000 specimens from 1994-2003,^[12] the grey parrot is one of the most heavily-traded CITES-listed bird species. In response to continuing population declines, exceeded quotas and unsustainable and illegal trade, including among range States, CITES included the grey parrot in Phase VI of the CITES Review of Significant Trade in 2004. This review has resulted in recommended zero export quotas for several range States and a CITES Decision to develop regional management plans for the species.

In the United States, importation is prohibited under the U.S. Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992.

[edit] See also

• Alex (parrot)
• N'kisi
• Bird-safe

[edit] In literature

• The character 'Gerard' in Michael Crichton's novel Next is a transgenic African Grey

[edit] External links

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] References

• Athan, Mattie Sue & Deter, Dianalee (2000): The African Grey Parrot Handbook. Barron's Pet Handbooks, Hauppauge, NY. ISBN 0-7641-0993-6
• BirdLife International (2004). Psittacus erithacus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 09 May 2006.
• BirdLife International (2007a): [ 2006-2007 Red List status changes ]. Retrieved 2007-AUG-26.
• BirdLife International (2007b): Grey Parrot - BirdLife Species Factsheet. Retrieved 2007-AUG-26.
• Forshaw, Joseph M. & Cooper, William T. (1981): Parrots of the World (3rd ed.). Lansdowne Editions, Melbourne, New York. ISBN 0701806907
• Greene, W.T. & Batty, J. (1993): African grey parrots. Beech Publishing House, Alton. ISBN 1-85736-027-3
• Juniper, Tony & Parr, Mike (1998): Parrots: A Guide to Parrots of the World. Christopher Helm, London. ISBN 1873403402
• Liddell, Henry George & Robert Scott (1980): A Greek-English Lexicon (Abridged Edition). Oxford University Press, United Kingdom. ISBN 0-19-910207-4
• Linnaeus, Carolus (1758): Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. (10th edition, vol.1). Laurentius Salvius, Holmius (= Stockholm). PDF fulltext
• Mancini, Julie R. (1998): The African Grey. Howell Book House, New York. ISBN 0-87605-443-2
• Moustaki, Nikki (2004): A New Owner's Guide to African Grey Parrots. TFH Publications, Neptune City, NJ. ISBN 0-7938-2855-4
• Mulawka, Edward J. (1984): African Grey Parrots. TFH Publications. ISBN 0-86622-975-2
• Pepperberg, Irene (2002): The Alex Studies: cognitive and communicative abilities of grey parrots. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts & London. ISBN 0-674-00806-5
• Wright, Maggie (2001): African Grey Parrots: everything about history, care, nutrition, handling, and behavior. Barron's Pet Handbooks, Hauppauge, NY. ISBN 0-7641-1035-7cs:Papoušek šedý

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