Fact 1. The African grey parrot is a monogamous bird, nesting solitarily in a tree with a hole for her eggs.
Fact 2. The African grey parrot’s main defence mechanism is fluffing up its feathers to look larger (and biting!).
African Grey Puffed Up
Fact 3. African grey parrots are considered to be one of the most accomplished mimics. Parrots, when raised by humans, show an amazing ability to mimic people and noisy objects, but in the wild they have never been observed mimicking.
Fact 4. One of the most famous African grey parrots is Alex. Dr. Irene Pepperberg has studied animal behaviour and animal-human communications since 1977. She currently works with 3 grey parrots. Alex – (who has passed away at the age of 31) – can count, identify objects, shapes, colours, and materials, knows the concepts of same and different, and even tells the lab assistants what to do in order to modify his environment!
Fact 5. Because large parrots live so long, and may outlive their owners, it is often necessary for owners to put the birds in their wills.
Will & Testament
“accomplished mimics”? Really, have you every spent anytime with one of these guys…. They use words and phrase in context. Do they understand what they are saying? Yes they do or they can with proper guidance and training. Do you not have to teach a child how to talk?
My Frank-Lynn Bird, a Timneh grey, will use a certain cuss word at appropriate times (sh*t!). Makes me laugh. And he knows when it’s bedtime. And he makes all kinds of mechanical noises, like the microwave beep, the front door alarm, and the back-up beep from the garbage trucks. And he knows when he is doing something that will get him in trouble, like getting down from his cage and taking a bath in the cats’ water dish. He will stop and look at me to see if I am watching. He and my son (who is now 17) didn’t get along when I first got him, and Frank would fly across the room to attack him. Then I had his wings clipped and they get along much better. We have had him for just over 4 years now, and he is such a part of the household, just like the two cats, who are still trying to decide is Frank is family, or lunch. He lets than know he is here to stay.
wholy crap my parrot is way smarter than that