Experts say that parrots are probably the most intelligent of all the birds, even being able to mimic human speech and understand the meanings of some words. The African Grey Parrot is known as the best mimic in the Parrot world. They have been kept as family pets for thousands of years and were especially valued by the ancient Greeks and Romans. Sailors have often kept them on board ship when undertaking long journeys. The African Grey is categorized into two subspecies, the Congo African Grey and the Timeh African Grey, which differ in physical appearance. Both have feathers of gray with subtle shading and flecks of white.
The Congo African Grey is the larger of the two. The plumage is light gray and they have a dark, red tail and a black beak. The Timeh African Grey is smaller with darker gray feathers, a maroon tail and a lighter colored beak. In the wild, the African Grey Parrot eats mostly fruit and nuts with some leafy vegetation. It's illegal now to trade in parrots that have been caught in the wild. They have to be to be bred in captivity in order to be sold as pets.
The parrots make a welcome addition to the family and are usually friendly pets but may not fit well with little children, as they have been known to bite and scratch sometimes. Those beaks and claws are very sharp. The African Grey Parrot actually likes to socialize with people and with other parrots. They can get lonely so it's a good idea to place the cage in a room where there is human activity. Because of their level of intelligence, an African Grey Parrot can become bored and needs the stimulation of varied toys.
It's a lot of fun; teaching parrots new words and phrases to learn. They might even pick up some swear words that owners would prefer them not to learn! Looking after them is fairly straightforward as long as they're given adequate attention. Their diet must consist of the right amount of vitamins and calcium. They like to eat leafy greens and they also enjoy cheese and almonds. It's very important that their cage is of sufficient size for the type of bird. Tender loving care by the owner will be rewarded by an entertaining and interesting companion. The African Grey Parrot can live up to around fifty years in captivity.
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