Congo African Grey Parrot, Psittacus erithacus erithacus is considered to be one of the best talkers in the parrot kingdom. The overall grey color etched in white is a beautiful contrast to the bright red tail feathers. The Congo African Grey is a very gentle bird that is in constant high demand from the pet trade. The captive breeding success in the United States is producing sufficient numbers of these birds to satisfy the public demand for this beautiful and intelligent bird. Thanks to the research of Dr. Irene Pepperberg and Alex, her Congo African Grey, the scien- tific community had to re-think its longstand- ing position that birds parroted the human language & did not comprehend what they were saying. As Irene began to publish her findngs and the word spread of its significance, there was a rebirth in the popularity of parrots as pets and sales skyrocketed. It's possible that she has done more for pet bird keep- ing in the past 22 years, than all other avian researchers and professionals combined. One point of interest is this; the bird is so intelligent that it can learn our language....but we cannot learn its language! Now, there is some "food for though" considering humans think they are the most intelligent animal on the planet.
The Congo African Grey is well known for it's sociability and makes a great family pet. They can be shy and are normally wary of strangers so care must be taken not to scare or frighten it. The Congo African Grey loves vegetables and fruits and to help maintain good health make sure you provide a generous, varied diet. They are also fond of different small nuts & seeds but these should be given sparingly to prevent obesity and Fatty Live Disease! Life Expecentcy: 60 to 70 Years Length: 13" Minimum Cage Requirement: 30" Tall X 24" Wide X 16" Deep Price: $800.00 (with airline shipping $1035.00) Status: None available this year. Setting up a new pair at this time. Last Update: April 29, 2010