SCIENTIFIC NAME:  Psittacus erithacus

The African gray parrot is famous for being the largest and greatest talking parrot. The sooty gray parrot has a pale gray rump, bright red tail, black bill and an extensive white area around its yellow eye. It has a high-pitched scream, mimics sounds and can whistle complete toons. The bird will also imitate movements such as a human waving goodbye, and captive birds require a great deal of attention and affection.

African grays will travel from tree to tree in search of ripe fruit, and it also raids crops such as oil-nut palms and maize. It’s a noisy bird that lives and feeds in small areas. It will spend its day in small groups of 20-30 birds and will usually pair for life. The parrot will nest alone or in loose colonies, and male birds will perform a mating dance. He will engage in a display flight around the nest hole. Females usually lay three to four eggs at three-day intervals. The nestlings stay in the nest for about 80 days after hatching and then follow their parents for about four months.