African Grey Parrot - Interesting Facts

 African Grey Parrot - Interesting Facts

Appearance

The African grey parrot features a grey coat on most of its body. They have red coloured feathers.Around the eye and up to the beak they have white feathers.Their eyes are a straw and therefore the beak is couloured black.

Two subspecies are identified, the Timneh Grey Parrot and therefore the Congo Grey Parrot.The Timneh has darker plumage everywhere and a light-weight brown patch on the upper portion of the beak.

They are approximately 33cms (13in) long.They weigh approximately 450g (15.9oz)

Diet

African grey parrots prey on a diet of seeds, nuts, fruits and berries.They're vegetarians and feed exclusively on fruits and grain.These parrots are very keen on the feather palm nut. 

As commercial grain crops like maize are planted in Africa they are known to try to to damage to those crops.

Range

African grey parrots are from Africa and inhabit countries including Cote d’ Iviore, Ghana, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Rwanda, Togo, Uganda, Angola, Principe, equatorial Guniea, Togo and Burundi. 

Habitat

They occupy lowland tropical rainforests, mangrove and gallery forests.With the rise in commercial farming they need been known to maneuver into cultivated areas.

Reproduction

They have variable breeding seasons which differ across their range.They nest during a small tree hollow 10-30m off the bottom.Nesting is typically wiped out solitary but may occur during a small group. they typically lay 2-3 eggs.These are incubated for 21-30 days.Young fledge 80 days after hatching.

Behavior

African grey parrots are known to possess historically lived in groups of up to 10,000 individuals.

These colonies will break down into smaller groups of 30 approximately once they leave to feed. 

These parrots will seasonally move out of the driest parts of their range. 

They will fly great distances to seek out fruiting trees.

Quick facts

African grey parrots are very fashionable as pets worldwide

This has led to them being listed as vulnerable as thousands are taken from the wild illegally annually .

They can be trained to speak and one called Alex has learnt over 50 words.