Nickname/Age: 1 Male-Doogie (LV0174): DOB July 21, 1990

Description: African Grey Parrots are Africa’s largest parrots. They are grey in color with white skin around the eyes and a red tail. They stand about a foot tall and weigh around 400g. They are known for their ability to imitate human speech, as well as a variety of other sounds.

Habitat and Range: African grey parrots can be found in lowland rainforests, mountain rainforests, forest edges, plantations, and farms, in central Africa from Guinea to Kenya, and Angola.

Diet in the Wild: Diet in the wild includes seeds, nuts, fruits, and berries.

Diet in the Zoo: Mixed diet of seeds, pellets, nuts, fruits, and vegetables, fed daily.

Predators: Predators will most likely include birds of prey, and snakes that can attack the young nestlings or fledglings.

Life Cycle and Social Structure: African grey parrots are monogamous and usually breed during the rainy season. They make their nests in hollow tree trunks where they lay 2-4 eggs in the wood shavings at the bottom of the cavity. The eggs are incubated by the female only, but both parents will feed and care for the chicks. After about 2-3 months the young will leave the nest, but they may still be cared for, for another month.
These parrots are very social and live together in large flocks, especially when roosting. When their feeding, a couple birds may act like a sentry to ensure the safety of the flock. They will produce a loud screech to warn the flock of any threats. They are also very vocal in flight.

Status: The African Grey parrot is listed as near threatened by the IUCN red list. People often consider these birds pests, and will kill them if they threaten their crops. They are also illegally trapped for the pet trade, and it is thought that up to 20% of the wild population is taken for the pet trade every year.

Fun Facts: The African Grey Parrot can live to be 70 years old!

This parrot is considered to be one of the most intelligent parrots!
African grey parrots are considered to be non-domesticated.
African grey parrots have been kept as pets throughout history by the Greeks, Romans, King Henry VIII, and by Portuguese Sailors.

Conservation Message: Although they are not currently threatened in their range, the African Grey Parrot is well on its way to a threatened status. Each year thousands of these birds are illegally captured for the pet trade. This is a good animal to use to discuss about researching a pet before you buy. These birds have a long life span and an owner will often have to have a family member inherit the bird once they are gone. It is also a good idea to know where your bird is from, and to only purchase birds that are captive bred, and not trapped illegally.