African Grey Parrots: Brilliant, Sensitive and Long-Lived

Think Hard Before You Buy

Greys are often bought for their talking, but talking isn't guaranteed, and the intelligence that makes them good mimics also makes them easily bored. A grey left alone in a cage all day is a recipe for an unhappy bird.

Clever, Sensitive and Here for Decades

The Merck Veterinary Manual lists African greys at 30 to 50 years. That means a grey bought in your thirties may need a new home in your old age.

Greys are known for being sensitive to change: a new cage, a move or a change in routine can unsettle them. Many become strongly bonded to one person. Feather-damaging behavior, such as plucking, is a well-known problem when their needs aren't met, and needs an avian vet's help.

What They Need Every Day

• Company: several hours a day of interaction, not just being in the same room.
• Space: the Merck Veterinary Manual suggests a cage of at least 40 × 30 × 60 inches (102 × 76 × 152 cm), with bars about 0.75 inch (1.9 cm) apart, plus daily time out in a bird-safe room.
• Work for the brain: foraging toys, puzzles, shreddable toys and training sessions, rotated often.
• Diet: a formulated pellet as the base with vegetables and some fruit, as your avian vet advises.
• Routine: a full night of sleep in a quiet, dark room, and calm, predictable days.

See bird cages and stands, foraging and seed vs pellet diets for the details.

CITES and the Law

In 2016 CITES moved the African grey (Psittacus erithacus) and the Timneh parrot (Psittacus timneh) to Appendix I, the highest level of protection, after heavy trapping for the pet trade. The change took effect in early 2017. Commercial international trade in wild-caught birds is banned, and captive-bred birds need the right paperwork.

• Great Britain: species listed in CITES Appendix I are generally treated as Annex A under wildlife trade rules, and buying, selling or commercially displaying them usually needs an Article 10 certificate from APHA. Ask to see the certificate and check its ring or microchip number matches the bird.
• United States: the Wild Bird Conservation Act restricts importing many wild parrot species, and some species are also covered by the Endangered Species Act, which can restrict sales across state lines. Check with the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
• Elsewhere: check with your national CITES authority before buying, selling or moving a bird abroad.

Rules differ by country and by species. Check a species' current listing on the CITES Species+ database, and ask your national authority (APHA in Great Britain, the US Fish and Wildlife Service in the US, or your country's CITES management authority) before buying, selling or traveling.

If You're Still Serious

1. Spend time with the species first: volunteer at a parrot rescue or visit an experienced keeper, at the noisy times of day as well as the quiet ones.
2. Consider adopting: parrot rescues often have African greys looking for homes, and can match you with a bird whose personality suits you.
3. Find an avian vet before the bird arrives; see finding a vet.
4. Plan for the long term: who will care for the bird if you can't, and how that will be paid for.
5. Buy only with paperwork: a closed ring or microchip, captive-breeding records and, where needed, the right certificates.

If this all sounds like too much, that's a good answer. A cockatiel, conure or parrotlet gives a lot of parrot personality with fewer decades and decibels.