The African Grey Parrot by Amorian 2013/08/15 13:10
The African Grey Parrot
(Psittacus erithacus), also known
as the Grey Parrot , is a parrot
found in the primary and
secondary rainforest of West and
Central Africa. Experts regard it as
one of the most intelligent birds in
the world. They feed primarily on
palm nuts, seeds, fruits, and leafy
matter, but have also been
observed eating snails. Their
overall gentle nature and their
inclination and ability to mimic
speech have made them popular
pets, which has led many to be
captured from the wild and sold
into the pet trade. The African
Grey Parrot is listed on CITES
appendix II, which restricts trade
of wild-caught species because
wild populations cannot sustain
trapping for the pet trade.
The African Grey Parrot
(Psittacus erithacus), also known
as the Grey Parrot , is a parrot
found in the primary and
secondary rainforest of West and
Central Africa. Experts regard it as
one of the most intelligent birds in
the world. They feed primarily on
palm nuts, seeds, fruits, and leafy
matter, but have also been
observed eating snails. Their
overall gentle nature and their
inclination and ability to mimic
speech have made them popular
pets, which has led many to be
captured from the wild and sold
into the pet trade. The African
Grey Parrot is listed on CITES
appendix II, which restricts trade
of wild-caught species because
wild populations cannot sustain
trapping for the pet trade.
Amorian 2013/08/15 13:13
Taxonomy and systematics
Two subspecies are universally
accepted:
Congo African Grey Parrot
(Psittacus erithacus erithacus):
This is the nominate subspecies,
larger than the Timneh at about
33 cm (13 in) long, with light-grey
feathers, cherry-red tails, and an
all-black beak. Immature birds
of this subspecies have tails with a
darker, duller red towards the tip
(Juniper and Parr 1999) until their
first moult, which occurs by 18
months of age. These birds also
initially have grey irises, which
change to a pale yellow colour by
the time the bird is a year old. The
Congo Grey Parrot is found on the
islands of PrÃncipe and Bioko , and
is distributed from southeastern
Ivory Coast to western Kenya ,
northwest Tanzania , southern
Democratic Republic of the Congo
(DRC), and northern Angola . In
aviculture, it is often called a
"CAG".
Timneh African Grey Parrot
(Psittacus erithacus timneh, or
Psittacus timneh):
This subspecies is smaller in size,
has a darker charcoal grey
colouring, a darker maroon tail,
and a light, horn-coloured area to
part of the upper mandible. The
Timneh Grey Parrot is endemic to
the western parts of the moist
Upper Guinea forests and
bordering savannas of West Africa
from Guinea-Bissau , Sierra Leone,
and southern Mali east to at least
70 km (43 mi) east of the Bandama
River in Ivory Coast . It is often
called a "TAG". As pets, Timnehs
begin learning to speak earlier
than Congos and are often said to
be less nervous around strangers
and novel situations. In 2012,
Birdlife International gave the
Timneh Parrot full species status
and it was classified as
Vulnerable.
Some aviculturalists recognize
third and fourth subspecies, but
these are not distinguishable in
scientific studies.
Taxonomy and systematics
Two subspecies are universally
accepted:
Congo African Grey Parrot
(Psittacus erithacus erithacus):
This is the nominate subspecies,
larger than the Timneh at about
33 cm (13 in) long, with light-grey
feathers, cherry-red tails, and an
all-black beak. Immature birds
of this subspecies have tails with a
darker, duller red towards the tip
(Juniper and Parr 1999) until their
first moult, which occurs by 18
months of age. These birds also
initially have grey irises, which
change to a pale yellow colour by
the time the bird is a year old. The
Congo Grey Parrot is found on the
islands of PrÃncipe and Bioko , and
is distributed from southeastern
Ivory Coast to western Kenya ,
northwest Tanzania , southern
Democratic Republic of the Congo
(DRC), and northern Angola . In
aviculture, it is often called a
"CAG".
Timneh African Grey Parrot
(Psittacus erithacus timneh, or
Psittacus timneh):
This subspecies is smaller in size,
has a darker charcoal grey
colouring, a darker maroon tail,
and a light, horn-coloured area to
part of the upper mandible. The
Timneh Grey Parrot is endemic to
the western parts of the moist
Upper Guinea forests and
bordering savannas of West Africa
from Guinea-Bissau , Sierra Leone,
and southern Mali east to at least
70 km (43 mi) east of the Bandama
River in Ivory Coast . It is often
called a "TAG". As pets, Timnehs
begin learning to speak earlier
than Congos and are often said to
be less nervous around strangers
and novel situations. In 2012,
Birdlife International gave the
Timneh Parrot full species status
and it was classified as
Vulnerable.
Some aviculturalists recognize
third and fourth subspecies, but
these are not distinguishable in
scientific studies.
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