The most talkative bird - an African Grey Parrot – Psittacus erithacus -  a vocabulary of 800+ words. An African Grey, N’kisi, who in 2004 was said to have a vocabulary of over 950 words and was noted for creative use of language.

The African Grey Parrot - Psittacus erithacus – is found in the primary and secondary rainforests of West and Central Africa.

There are two subspecies - Congo African Grey Parrot - Psittacus erithacus erithacus – and the Timneh African Grey Parrot - Psittacus erithacus timneh

Description

The Congo African Grey Parrot is the nominate subspecies, larger than the Timneh with light grey feathers, cherry red tails, and an all black beak. Young birds initially have grey irises which change to a pale yellow colour by the time the bird is a year old. Timneh African Grey Parrots are smaller in size, have a darker charcoal grey colouring, a darker maroon tail, and a light, horn-coloured area to part of the upper mandible. The timneh grey parrot is endemic to the western parts of the moist Upper Guinea forests and bordering savannas of West Africa

Call

Wild African Greys have been documented imitating the calls of several other species. They whistle, shriek, squeak and click in the wild.

Food

They feed primarily on palm nuts, seeds, fruits and leafy matter.

Breeding

African Greys lay between 2 to 5 eggs. The chicks hatch 28 to 30 days later. Conservation Status – Near threatened

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. A recent analysis suggests that up to 21% of the global population may be taken from the wild annually, primarily for the pet trade.

Ask Aves Birding Tours to create a customized tour for you to see these magnificent birds in the wild.