| African Grey Parrot Psittacus erithacus erithacus Family: Psittacidae The range of this bird encompasses the forested areas of Ghana to Lake Victoria into Angola and through the area formerly known as the Congo. The species consists of three subspecies with the type race represented by Psittacus erithacus. All are similar in appearance but differ in size and variation of colors. The birds of the type race are grey with silver grey on the crown, nape, neck, and mantle. The under parts are whitish, the flight feathers are dark grey, and the tail coverts and tail a bright scarlet. The beak and legs are dark or black. The Greys are very gregarious and are reputed to be the best mimics among the parrots. They are found in large groups and cause considerable damage to cultivated crops. They feed on fruits, seeds, young shoots, and nuts. Because of their nature, the young of this parrot are taken in considerable numbers yearly and hand-raised for the export trade where they are sold for high prices. When hand-raised they become extremely tame and affectionate toward their owner. These birds are long-lived if given proper care and survive 70 or more years. Our birds arrived in 1996 and 1998, gender unknown. | |
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