African Greys: Discover The Guinness Record For a Talking Parrot

Congo African Grey parrots are the largest parrot species in Africa. To date, they are the most intensively studied and, as a result, the most fascinating member of the psittacine family. The African Grey parrot, Psittacus erithacus erithacus, and its smaller subspecies, the Timneh African Grey, Psittacus erithacus timneh, are both commonly found in the pet trade. Most Greys found on the market today, are captive-bred birds.

In the wild, African Greys are indigenous to West and Central Africa, and inhabit a wide range of habitat from open savannas to deep rain forest. The Discovery Channel sent its videographers deep into the Congo rain forest to film the rare Forest Elephant, a smaller version of the African Elephant, which is specialized to live in the deep jungle. In a remote area, they were filming these animals digging mineral-rich soil in a small clearing. Suddenly, a cloud of birds swirled down, landing on the ground to strut around the feet of the pachyderms. There was no mistaking these grey birds with the bright red tails! Sadly, this huge flock of African Grey parrots didn’t even get a mention, but their squawking and whistling couldn’t be ignored! However, a study of African Greys is being conducted in this region by Diana May, one of Dr. Irene Pepperberg’s graduate students. The study is conducted at a World Wildlife Fund site.

African Greys are considered to be one of the quieter parrots in the wild. It is thought that this has to do with their tendency to flock with only members of their own species. They don’t have to shout over other species to be heard. This could be a characteristic of single flocking species. The Pionus is another bird with this social behavior. They’re known to be fairly quiet, for parrots.

Captive birds are incredible mimics. A study of wild African Greys in Zaire reported that the local birds imitated nine different bird species, and one bat. Wild birds are also extremely sociable, and nest in large, communal nesting areas. There, each bird will lay two to four eggs.

African Grey flocks are single-species flocks. Unlike many South American parrots, which travel in mixed flocks of Amazons, Macaws, and other native birds, the Greys won’t tolerate foreigners in their midst. Large flocks are made up of smaller groups, probably families, of five to seven birds.

Researchers who have compared African Grey social behavior to multi-flock species, such as Amazons, report that young African Greys stay with their family group much longer. As with some cockatoos, young African Grey parrots socialize with others of their age in nursery trees, but remain in their family group within the larger flock. It is believed that young birds remain within their familial groups for several years before venturing out into the flock. Of course, studies have shown that, the more intelligent the animal, the longer period of nurturing it will require. These tendencies have an effect on African Grey behavior in captivity, which we will discuss later.

Although the Congo African Grey is a one-pound bird with a bite at one end, they do have predators in the wild. Several species of hawks prey on them, and monkeys have been seen robbing their nests for eggs. Feeding on the ground also makes them vulnerable to terrestrial predators, but even sparrows post lookouts, whose job is to raise the alarm should a cat or hawk appear. Living in a large group is an advantage, the more eyes, the better.

The diet of wild African Greys is a mix of foliage, nuts, fruit, and some insect protein. Like most parrots, they are omnivores, enjoying the same wide range of food as human omnivores. Unlike the larger macaws, they don’t rely on large palm nuts; indeed, they couldn’t crack one if they tried. They have no specialized dietary requirements, but they will appreciate exotic fruit such as kiwi, star fruit, mango, and other recently popular tropicals.

We can’t talk about African Greys in captivity without mentioning Alex, the most famous African Grey parrot in the world. Dr. Irene Pepperberg is Alex’s keeper. Having taught sign language to primates, she became curious about the intellect of psittacines. She selected the African Grey parrot, as its reputation for mimicry is superlative.

An African Grey named ‘Prudle’ holds the Guinness record for a talking parrot. Prudle knew 1000 words. By comparison, Alex knows around 100 words, but he uses them in the proper context!

Dr. Pepperberg selected a young Congo African Grey from a Chicago pet store. Alex is a captive-bred bird. For nearly thirty years, Dr. Pepperberg has studied Alex’s ability to learn. He turned out to be a very remarkable animal! However, it took a very remarkable human to bring out the best in Alex.

Alex has demonstrated the ability to count to six. He can identify objects by color, shape and composition. He will tell you corn is yellow, even when there’s no corn in the room!
He understands size, and can tell you if one object is bigger or smaller than another one.

He also understands the persistence of objects when they are removed from his field of vision. He has demonstrated this with objects hidden under things. "Out of sight, out of mind," is not an Alex trait! Astonishingly, Alex also appears to comprehend the concept of zero, something the human species didn't discover in the Old World until Arab mathematicians introduced it in the Middle Ages (the Mayan people of South America had been using the concept much earlier). He uses the word 'none' to describe zero quantity, as well as using it to indicate no difference between two objects. It is entirely possible that our parrots do understand what we mean when we say, "all gone!"

Dr. Pepperberg has added two more African Greys to her flock, Wart and Griffin. Alex doesn’t like these newcomers at all, and lets them know it! He’s also a feather plucker, and easily identifiable in group photos. It’s too bad he doesn’t understand the sentence, “Don’t pick your feathers. It makes you look ratty!” Poor Alex!

Are you sure you want to bring one of these avian geniuses into your home? Are you intellectually up to the challenge of having a bird with the intelligence of a five year old child, and the emotional level of a two year old?

Housing an African Grey isn’t very challenging. They’re about the size of a Yellow Naped Amazon parrot, and there are many suitable cages on the market for these medium-sized birds.

The Congo African Greys are larger, and have clearer colors than the Timneh subspecies. Timnehs tend to be darker grey, with a maroon tail and horn colored beak. Timnehs are considerably smaller than their big Congo cousins, at 275-375 grams. Congos are a silvery grey color, sporting a brilliant red tail and a black beak. They can weigh up to 600 grams. Some Congos have red feathers scattered amongst the grey, several sources suggest that feeding them plenty of carrots may contribute to this. However, too much carotene, the same substance that turns hawk feet yellow and flamingo plumage pink, can have detrimental side effects. There have even been cases of human beings turning yellow from too much carrot juice!

Keeping them occupied is another matter. You can’t simply lock them up with food and water, and a few simple toys. These birds need to be challenged, or they’ll revert to feather plucking and bad behavior. It is very important that you teach them to obey commands. The ‘up’ command is paramount.

While African Greys have a reputation of being shy, and being biters, this is probably due to being kept by people who don’t understand their nature. They will bite when threatened, but they’ll bite when trying to assume dominance in your relationship. Being from same-species flocks, they view strangers as outsiders. However, the fact that the young are kept within a family unit for several years means they can and will adapt to new people in their lives later on, just as the youngsters do when they leave the family group to join the overall flock.

Considering a Congo or a Timneh, the main difference is size. The Timneh shows as much talking talent as a Congo. They’re more delicate in build, but they’re just a subspecies. Owners are delighted with these little guys and their abilities.

When a Grey attempts to take the reins in your relationship with it, the ‘up’ command becomes a useful tool in maintaining your dominance. By the time it tries to challenge you, the bird should already be very familiar with the ‘up’ command. When challenged, what you have to do is distract it with one hand, while giving the ‘up’ command and pressing against it to make it step up. Distracted, it will obey the command. Once on your hand, run it through the command a few times, making it step up until it accepts that you are in control of this bird’s air force!

Spend time with your bird, and figure out ways to exercise its mind. Play the shell game. Show it baby toys, like the plastic rings on a post. Play catch with a ball. The bird will learn to throw it, and you can roll it back. Horse shoe nail puzzles are a great distraction, and there are some toys on the market now that make a bird figure out how to extract a treat. Leaving the television or radio on when you leave can keep the bird entertained in your absence. Parrots definitely have different tastes in music, however! My Nape seems to prefer the Mexican radio stations, and clearly dislikes Country Western!

African Greys have few health concerns, and will enjoy a balanced diet. One problem for Grey owners is their calcium levels. Giving calcium without phosphorous can cause health problems. Talk to your vet about the best way to deliver calcium to your bird, via supplements or pellets.

These birds are also susceptible to Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease, or PBFD. Some birds aren’t affected by this terrible affliction. African Greys and cockatoos can fall victim to it, so get your new bird tested immediately!

This is a viral disease caused by the circodna virus, which causes an immune system deficiency. Symptoms include deformed feathers, abnormal beak and claw development, and, in cockatoos, a loss of the “dust” found on healthy plumage. This is a very serious and fatal disease, which can be carried by droppings, plumage, and body fluids. Embryos can develop it in the egg. It is very important that you get your bird tested for the presence of this disease! There is no cure, and it is fatal. African Greys are also vulnerable to tapeworms, so it’s a good idea to get them tested periodically.

African Greys are reported to live about fifty to sixty years, which is a consideration.
I recommend keeping them indoors these days; with the spread of Bird Flu and Nile Virus. You can keep them well entertained indoors; with toys, videos, music and handling. A friend of mine has a bird feeder in the window near his African Grey, Jose. He talks to the birds, meows like a cat, and enjoys scaring them with a sudden loud barking like a dog! Then he laughs the same evil laugh he uses when he manages to lure you close enough to give you a good pinch!

Whether you choose a Timneh or a Congo African Grey, you should work with these talented birds. They seem to enjoy learning new things, and language lessons are something they really excel at! Many African Grey owners report their birds know over 500 words! One woman, Aimee Morgana, claims her Congo, N’kisi not only knows six hundred words, but is psychic as well. She asserts that N’kisi is telepathic, and has a website dedicated to the N’kisi Project. You may visit that site and draw your own conclusions.

Not all African Greys have the power of speech or telepathy. However, one thing they all have the potential for is a lifetime of love. Just don’t leave them near a phone with your credit card when the shopping channel is on, and you’re not home!