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Gray parrot (Congo African grey)

Psittacus erithacus

Also known as Grey Parrot

Birds › Parrots (Psittaciformes) › Psittacidae (Parrots and parakeets)

African greys are famously intelligent, sensitive parrots that can live 40–60 years. They need daily mental stimulation and social time.

Pet trade

Experience: Advanced

Gray parrot (Congo African grey) — Photo: Robert01, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons

Photo: Robert01, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons

Lengthabout 13 in

Lifespan40–60 years in care

TalkingExceptional

DietPellets + produce

Care at a glance

Species-specific values

Values researched for this exact species. Where they differ from the group guide below, follow these. Air, surface and water temperatures are listed separately, and each source is kept as published rather than averaged.

Minimum cage dimensions	length: 40 in; width: 30 in; height: 60 in Table cage minimum; exercise space additional. Bar-spacing rendering is ambiguous and is not imported.	316
Lighting	Appropriate UVB or safe direct sunlight is especially relevant to calcium/vitamin-D balance; avoid unsupervised vitamin-D supplementation.	319

Warnings

Federal legal status: Federal restrictions apply. See the federal legal snapshot and check your state rules before getting one.

Care guide

Diet

The bulk (about 80%) should be a commercial pelleted parrot food, plus fresh vegetables and some fruit; dark leafy greens add calcium.

Sources 51 85

Behavior

The parrot Alex learned to label 50 objects, 7 colors and 5 shapes. Expect a bird that needs puzzles and attention every day.

Sources 85

Show the group care guide for mid-sized parrots (amazons, greys, pionus, caiques and others)

Group care guide

Mid-sized parrots (amazons, greys, pionus, caiques and others)

Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Tropical forests of Africa and the Americas. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.

Housing & setup

A large cage with daily out-of-cage time, foraging toys and training.

Sources 120 121 51 85 319

Diet

Pellets plus vegetables; eclectus need a more vegetable- and fruit-heavy diet and fewer pellets.
African greys need adequate calcium and vitamin D through a balanced diet and suitable UVB or safe direct sunlight. Extra supplements require an avian veterinarian’s assessment.

Sources 120 121 51 85 319

Social life

Social and intelligent.

Sources 120 121 51 85 319

Health watch

Low blood calcium in greys; obesity and fatty liver in amazons.

Sources 120 121 51 85 319

Understanding the animal

In the wild

Researched for this exact species, not its family. Good care copies these conditions.¹²³

Where it lives	Equatorial African lowland forests and edges, including the Congo Basin and populations extending west into Ghana and east into Uganda. Uses tree cavities for nesting and communal tree roosts.
Ground it lives on	mainly arboreal; sometimes descends to ground feeding sites
Climate	The species occurs in tropical habitats. In West Africa it makes seasonal movements out of the driest parts of its range during the dry season.
Active	Diurnal; flock departures and calls are conspicuous in mornings and evenings.
Social life	Pairs and family units within larger feeding and roosting flocks; nest-site competition can be aggressive.
Wild diet	Fruit, nuts and seeds, notably oil-palm fruit; also flowers, leaves and occasional insects.
Behavior to plan for	Travels between roosts and feeding areas and is wary at exposed ground sites. Social learning and prolonged family association are prominent.

What this means for care

Provide flight and climbing opportunities with sheltered feeding positions.
Include challenging food-search tasks and sustained compatible social interaction.
Use balanced nutrition rather than directly copying a wild palm-fruit or nut diet.

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 85°F (up to 89°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 66°F (down to 62°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	71–78°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	78–86% on average (driest month about 75%)
Rainfall	about 1480 mm a year

Measured at 52 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.

Profile

Researched for this exact species. Sources are listed under In the wild above.

Keeper tips

Provide opportunities for elevated perching that reflect the species' natural tree-roosting behavior.
Include environmental complexity appropriate to a bird naturally associated with forests, edges, clearings, and wooded savannahs.
Recognize that tree cavities are part of the species' natural nesting biology.
Avoid assuming the species naturally occupies only dense rainforest; the source also records it in mangroves, savannahs, cultivated areas, gardens, and forest edges.

Behaviors reported

Roosts in trees over water.
May prefer roosting on islands in rivers.
Nests in tree holes, sometimes using cavities abandoned by woodpeckers.
Makes seasonal movements out of the driest parts of its West African range during the dry season.
Frequently visits open land adjacent to woodland.

Remarkable facts

African grey parrots occur across the forest belt of central and West Africa and on the island of Príncipe.
They can occur at elevations up to 2,200 m in eastern portions of their range.
Typical body length is about 33 cm from head to tail.
Individuals weigh up to about 407 g.
Average wingspan is about 46 to 52 cm.
The nominate form is light grey with a distinct red tail and solid black beak.

From the sources

Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.

Overview	The grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus), also known as the Congo grey parrot, is an African parrot in the family Psittacidae. Psittacus erithacus was previously also known as the African grey parrot until the Timneh parrot (Psittacus timneh), previously treated as a subspecies, was elevated to a full species. The grey parrot is known for its intelligence, being considered one of the smartest bird species and is regarded for its speaking abilities. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Where it lives	The habitat of African grey parrots is usually moist lowland forests, although they are found up to 2,200 m altitude in the eastern parts of the range. — Animal Diversity Web
Wild diet	Grey parrots are mainly frugivorous, with most of their diet consisting of fruit, nuts, and seeds, including oil palm fruit. They sometimes also eat flowers and tree bark, as well as insects and snails. In the wild, the grey parrot is partly a ground feeder. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Behavior	Wild African grey parrots are very shy and rarely allow humans to approach them. — Animal Diversity Web
Reproduction	African grey parrots are very social birds. — Animal Diversity Web
Lifespan	In captive and wild parrots the average lifespan is between 40 and 50 years. — Animal Diversity Web
Appearance and size	The plumage of Psittacus erithacus is various shades of grey with very distinctive red tail feathers. — Animal Diversity Web
History and naming	The grey parrot was formally described in 1758 by Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the tenth edition of Systema Naturae. He placed it with all other parrots in the genus Psittacus and coined the binomial name Psittacus erithacus. Linnaeus erroneously specified the type locality as "Guinea": the locality was later designated as Ghana in West Africa. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Conservation	Natural predators for this species include palm-nut vultures and several raptors. Monkeys target eggs and the young for food. Humans are by far the largest threat to wild grey populations. — Wikipedia (community-edited)

Data and studies

Researched care notes

Findings checked against veterinary, zoo, welfare, keeper and peer-reviewed sources. Air, basking-surface and water temperatures are kept separate, and where sources disagree both are shown. “Study” notes report what a paper measured, not a universal rule.

Grey Parrot (species-focused foraging evidence)

The studied birds worked for food even when identical food was freely available. Study finding.¹
Foraging motivation supports opportunities to work for food; it does not prove that toys cure feather-damaging behaviour. Research interpretation.¹

Grey Parrot

African grey parrots are especially susceptible to hypocalcemia and vitamin-D-related bone problems; weakness, tremors or seizures warrant prompt avian veterinary assessment.²
Merck reports greater UVB dependence for calcium maintenance in African greys than in Amazona parrots; that comparison does not specify a universally safe avian lamp distance.²
Provide perches of varied diameter and texture to distribute foot loading.³
Use consistent routines and positive-reinforcement training; abrupt changes can be stressful for strongly attached individuals.³

The numbers

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Lifespan in care

Reported40–60years

Animal Diversity Web 8540–60

Maximum recorded lifespan

Highest reported73years

AnAge 16249.7

Myhrvold et al. 16373

Longest recorded lifespan reported by each database; typical lifespans are usually shorter. The AnAge record comes from an animal in human care.

Typical adult weight

Average of sources11.7oz

AnAge 16211.7

Myhrvold et al. 16311.7

Average adult body mass in each database (FishBase gives the maximum recorded weight).

Clutch size

Reported3eggs

Myhrvold et al. 1633

Average per litter or clutch.

Incubation

Reported30days

Myhrvold et al. 16330

Veterinary & husbandry research

Natural history of avian papillomaviruses Truchado DA et al., Virus research 2018
Staphylococcus pseudintermedius sp. nov., a coagulase-positive species from animals Devriese LA et al., International journal of systematic and evolutionary microbiology 2005
Comparative Cytogenetics of the Congo African Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus) Seibold-Torres C et al., Cytogenetic and genome research 2015
Psittacid herpesviruses associated with mucosal papillomas in neotropical parrots Styles DK et al., Virology 2004

Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. See all 42 on PubMed → 170

Federal legal snapshot

Federal restrictions apply

CITES Appendix I. Appendix I: commercial international trade in wild-caught animals is banned; international movement needs both import and export permits. Buying captive-bred animals within the U.S. isn't restricted by CITES (other federal or state laws may apply). 173 186
USDA Animal Welfare Act (birds). Since USDA's 2023 bird standards, most commercial bird dealers and exhibitors (and many breeders who sell wholesale) need an Animal Welfare Act license, with some exemptions for small-scale breeders and retail sellers. Keeping your own pet bird doesn't. 184

State law decides most of it. Each state sets its own permits and bans for exotic, native, venomous and dangerous animals, and cities and counties can be stricter. Find your state agency →

Animal Welfare Act standards

Birds (Subpart G). Applies to USDA-licensed or registered dealers, exhibitors (including encounters and paid programs) and research facilities. Private pet owners are not covered. These are legal minimums, not best care; the species care on this page goes further.

Indoor air temperature, humidity and any pool or water-feature temperature must suit the species and prevent discomfort or distress. §3.151
Birds may not be housed outdoors unless acclimated to the local temperature and humidity. §3.152
Enclosures must let birds stay dry and clean, give shade for every bird at once (including low-ranking ones), and have floors and perches that protect feet and legs. §3.153
A species-appropriate environment enhancement plan is required, approved by the attending veterinarian: social grouping plus enrichment such as perches, swings, objects to manipulate, varied food and foraging or task-oriented feeding. §3.154
Socially dependent birds, such as clutch-mates, must be housed together unless the veterinarian exempts them; birds may only share space with compatible animals. §3.160
The diet must suit the species, size, age and condition of the bird, with potable water in sufficient quantity; pools and water features must be kept clean. §3.155

Source: 9 CFR Part 3, current eCFR text (USDA APHIS Animal Care).

Kept in captivity?

Every species on this site needs evidence that people actually keep it. For this one:

Included in our hand-checked list of animals kept as pets, livestock or in zoos
AnAge has a longevity record from an animal in captivity
Covered by one of our in-depth care sheets
1407 iNaturalist observations of captive animals

Sources for this sheet

Royal Veterinary College Exotics Service: Parrot care Zoo, university or veterinaryVet-school exotics hospital factsheet, reviewed 2021–2024.
Animal Diversity Web (University of Michigan): Psittacus erithacus Zoo, university or veterinaryUniversity-hosted species account, mostly wild biology.
AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database (Human Ageing Genomic Resources) Peer-reviewed researchCurated, referenced longevity and life-history records for thousands of species; maximum lifespans are often from zoo animals.
Myhrvold et al. (2015). An amniote life-history database. Ecology 96: 3109 Peer-reviewed researchPeer-reviewed compilation of life-history data for over 21,000 birds, mammals and reptiles.
Species+ (UNEP-WCMC and the CITES Secretariat) Zoo, university or veterinaryThe official database of species listed under CITES.
USFWS International Affairs: CITES Zoo, university or veterinaryFederal agency that issues CITES permits.
9 CFR 2.1: Animal Welfare Act licensing (USDA) Zoo, university or veterinaryWho needs a USDA license to breed, sell or exhibit animals.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of pet birds Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of pet birds Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
MSD Veterinary Manual — Nutritional Diseases of Pet Birds Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) Peer-reviewed researchInternational scientific taxonomy used here for classification.
Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.

Gray parrot (Congo African grey)

Care at a glance

Species-specific values

Warnings

Care guide

Diet

Behavior

Mid-sized parrots (amazons, greys, pionus, caiques and others)

Housing & setup

Diet

Social life

Health watch

Understanding the animal

In the wild

What this means for care

Native climate (measured)

Profile

Keeper tips

Behaviors reported

Remarkable facts

From the sources

Data and studies

Researched care notes

Grey Parrot (species-focused foraging evidence)

Grey Parrot

The numbers

Lifespan in care

Maximum recorded lifespan

Typical adult weight

Clutch size

Incubation

Veterinary & husbandry research

Sources for this sheet

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