African Parrots

African Grey parrots

There are two "officially" subspecies of African Congo Grey Parrots:

The first one is the Congo African Grey parrot, ''Psittacus erithacus erithacus'' - these are larger birds (about 12 inches long) with light grey feathers, deep red tails and black beaks. Pictured below is a pair of our Congo African Greys.

The second is the Timneh African Grey parrot, ''Psittacus erithacus timneh'' - these are smaller in size, have a darker charcoal gray coloring, a darker maroon tail, and a light, horn colored upper mandible.

The history of African Grey parrots kept as pets dates back over 4,000 years. Some Egyptian hieroglyphics clearly depict pet parrots. The ancient Greeks also valued parrots as pets, and this custom was later adopted by the Wealthy Roman families often kept parrots in ornate bird cages, and parrots were prized for their ability to talk. King Henry VIII of England also had an African Grey. The Portuguese sailors kept them as companions on their long sea voyages.

African Grey parrots need a varied diet that includes as many fresh foods as possible. While the commercial pelleted diets do contain many all the necessary nutritional requirements African Greys, but they do not contain the phytonutrients that can be obtained from fresh fruit, vegetables and grains. Phytonutrients will provide a boost to the immune system and they also help speed healing. Nutritionists also believe that phytonutrients can prevent disease.

African Greys will not only gain nutritional benefit but psychological enrichment as well when offered a varied diet containing a mix of commercial formulated feeds and seed supplemented with a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and protein. Feed your African Grey a variety of chopped leafy green vegetables like broccoli and spinach, which will help supply them with calcium. They will also enjoy carrots, squash, corn on the cob and chili peppers. Include fruit such as apples ( EXCEPT for the SEEDS - which are not good for them), grapes, bananas and oranges. In addition, an African Grey will need additional protein. Add small portions of cooked meat, a cooked rice and bean mixture, and boiled eggs to their daily diet. You can mix a few crushed eggs shells into the rice and beans or boiled eggs for another boost of calcium. Also, include a variety of fresh nuts to your African Greys diet. Check out the page on Healthy Plants.

The Brown Headed Parrot---Poicephalus cryptoxanthus

The Brown Headed is very similar to the Senegal parrot but is missing the yellow breast feathers and has an upper mandible that is light colored with a black tip.
Like the Senegal, the Brown Head has gray feathers on his head down to the start of their chest. Their lower breast and abdomen have a yellow to an orange-yellow v-shaped section (like a t-shirt) with the upper breast having bright green plumage. Under their wings and tails is a bright yellow, with the upper tail feathers a brownish-green color.

Personality
These gentle cuddly birds are considered quiet by most people’s standards. Many Brown Headed Parrots learn to speak some and most all will imitate noises. They are much like conures in having a playful personality that requires lots of toys for playing, attacking and chewing so that they don’t get bored.

Check out the page on Healthy Plants.

Meyers---Poicephalus meyeri

The Sketchy Description
Meyers Parrots are difficult to describe. Most, but not all, seem to have yellow on their heads. The belly may be green or bright blue – or anywhere between the two colors, including words such as aqua, turquoise, bluish and greenish. Aside from these colors, a Meyers Parrot is predominantly a grayish-brown bird with red eyes.
Meyers Parrots grow to be 8 or 9 inches in length, similar to the Senegal parrot. Despite its small size, it is a true parrot and not a budgerigar.

Good Family Friends

Meyers Parrots usually make good family friends. For someone wanting a small parrot, they are ideal. They are also ideal for apartment dwellers, since they are a quiet parrot.
A Meyers Parrot will normally converse in low whistles, chirps, squeaks, and subdued chatter. With determination and patience, an owner can teach a Meyers Parrot to say a few words, but it will never be extremely talkative.
Meyers Parrots are known for a calm, sweet personality. They are usually not aggressive and make a good pet for a home with children.

Check out the page on Healthy Plants.

Breeding in captivity:

Breeds freely when established. Again starts to breed at about 3 to 4 years of age. breeds in our winter months. They lay normally 3 to 4 eggs. They lay with a two day interval between eggs incubation is carried out by the hen and lasts for about 26 to 27 days incubation is usually after the 2nd egg has been laid. The young leave the nest at approximately 9 weeks are independent at about 12 to 13 weeks. The nest box size I can recommend is the same as the Senegal at 18" to 20 " high by 8" to 10 " square again filled with a wood shaving and peat mixture.

Senegal Parrot

The senegal parrot is native to west Africa. On average it is twenty three centimeters long and weighs in at 125 to 170 grams, with the males larger and heavier than the females. The adults of a ash grey head, yellow eyes, green back and neck, and a yellow underside which when combined with the green back and neck make the Senegal parrot appear to be wearing a yellow vest over a green shirt. This vest is often times used to distinguish male from female (green tip extends down further on females) and distinguish the three recognized subspecies of the Senegal parrot. The nominate subspecies being senegalus which has the yellow vest and is native to Mauritania, southern Mali, Guinea, and the Island of Los. P. s. Mesotypus has an orange vest and is native to Nigeria, Cameroon, and Chad. Finaly P. s. versteri has a red vest and is native to Cote d’lvoire, Ghana, and Nigeria.
The Senegal parrot has only recently come into being bred as pets, but has quickly become the most popular pet in aviculture. As pets they can live to be 40 or 50 years old. The diet should consist of seeds and fruits, much like other parrots.
They are said to make excellent pets because they are curious, and fun loving. They seem to be much calmer than many of the other parrots commonly bred as pets. There speech imitation capabilities are limited, but are very quick to learn how to mimic whistles,` kisses, smoke alarms, and microwave beeps, however none of these are very loud.

Check out the page on Healthy Plants.

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This page was last modified on Thursday, October 29, 2009 10:10:51 PM

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