"Sterling"

Congo African Grey

(Psitticus Erithicus Erithicus)

This is the new addition to the flock, a male Congo African Grey. He was named "Sterling". The name was suggested to by "Joe Taylor" at The Animal Connection here in San Francisco where Sterling was purchased on May 13th 2001. Joe is "The Man" when it comes to parrots, he is a fountain of knowledge when it comes down to birds and I respect his opinion very much. Sterling was born on January 25 2001, so at the time of this picture he was 4 months old.

"Nikki"

Congo African Grey

(Psitticus Erithicus Erithicus)

This is "Nikki" a female Congo African Grey . When this picture was taken she was 6 years old. I adopted Nikki in late April 2000 from a friend who could no longer provide her with the time and attention she needed. Nikki didn't take too well to her new home at first but with a lot of work, trust and kindness she has accepted me as her new owner. African Greys are the best talkers of all the parrots. African Grey parrots can live to be between 50 and 75 years old. Nikki is very intelligent, she has a large vocabulary and knows some phrases like "There ya go", "C'mon", and "Good Boy".

The African Grey Parrot comes from a broad area of Central Africa. P.e. Erithacus being the nominate race, the Congo African Grey. P.e. Timneh more commonly called Timneh African Grey. Given the appropriate nutritional requirements in a nurturing home, African Grey's can have a lifespan of 50-75 years.

The Congo African Grey Parrot is a medium grey bird with shades of light grey on the body. The feathers on the head have brushed white edging. The eye area is of bare white skin. A solid black beak and bright red tail are the finishing touches to this magnificent parrot. Young CAG's have dark grey tips on their tail feathers. They are also known as the "Red Tailed Grey". They vary in size from 12-14" from beak to tail, also can vary in weight between 400-650 grams depending on the frame of the individual bird.

Greys from Nigeria usually have dark grey wings. CAG's from the Congo region are, on average, larger in size. On occasion you might see a Grey with red feathering throughout the body, they are known as "Red Factor Greys".

The Timneh African Grey Parrot is a dark grey bird with shades of light grey on the body. The eye area is of bare white skin. They have a "bone" colored upper mandible and a dark maroon tail. The Timneh is smaller in size ranging from 9-11 inches beak to tail. Also TAG's can vary in weight from 275-400 grams.

The CAG and TAG as a baby parrots will have dark grey to black eyes up until they are roughly 6 months of age when their eye color starts to lighten. By the time they reach a year, their eyes become a pale grey color. At about 1.5 to 2 yrs their eyes will turn a pale straw color. And lastly at about 3 years of age (as an adult bird), they will have a light yellow iris. This is one way to be able to determine an estimate of how old a baby is when visiting bird stores. Grey's usually reach maturity at about 3 years of age.

Note: When speaking in context of African Grey's; I am referring to both the Congo and the Timneh species. The only difference between the two species is their physical appearance.

The most common phrase I have heard regarding African Grey's is "the perfect mix of brains and beauty". I often hear people say African Grey's are not as "colorful" as most parrots. They apparently have not seen the true personality of an African Grey Parrot. They have a remarkable, noble beauty that takes your breath away!

African Grey's have the most extraordinary flair for speech. But do not think that they are limited to speech only! They can mimic almost any sound in your home. Although most grey's do not start talking until a year in age, there are many cases where they will speak earlier. Some greys don't start speaking until 2 years, so never give up hope! They have the capacity to have a vocabulary of over 2000 words. I would like to add this "food for thought"... there is no guarantee that a Grey will speak. This should never be the sole reason for buying a grey. They are so much more than just "speech". They are more human than some will admit. They feel our emotions and act accordingly. They do not mimic, they learn from us. Speaking in sentences, responding appropriately to questions, the physical motions to comfort us when we are sad, the list goes on and on.

African Grey's have the intellectual capacity of a 5 year old child with the emotions of a 2 year old. Because of this higher intelligence, they can be demanding pets and rightly so! They require constant attention along with a stimulating environment that includes various types of toys, a large cage, a play-stand.

Generally speaking, Grey's are cautious birds. They have a tendency to sit back and watch you before giving themselves up freely. They tend to not be very outgoing towards strangers. Then are very intuitive to your feelings and it is always best to approach them with a calm demeanor. Once you win the trust of an African Grey, he/she will be your best friend for life. They are very dedicated and loyal birds.

My greys are very outgoing and playful in our home environment. Our home is their "safe place". They realize nothing will harm them here. My birds love to boisterously and acrobatically attack their toys. You have never seen a parrot play until you have first handedly seen a Grey scream bloody murder at their toys! Yes, the infamous Grey scream, it is an experience you will not forget.

In sum... although African Grey's are the most popular pet parrot, they are not for everyone. They stand apart from the rest. It's not easy being a caretaker of African Grey's or any parrot for that matter. Lots of love, time, patience and effort goes into the relationship I have with my birds. And I have that to be proud of. Are you ready to take the African Grey challenge?

"Sunny"

Sun Conure

(Aratinga Solstitialis)

This is "Sunny" a male Sun Conure. When this picture was taken he was 4 months old. Sunny was purchased him from Petco here in San Francisco in May of 2000. Sunny is a very playful bird, he likes to roll over on his back and wrestle. Sunny is very vocal and is trying to say words like "apple juice". He can be very cuddly or very ornery, he's a real moody bird. Conure's can (with good care) live to be 25 years old.

Conures can be found in most of South and Central America. Some species are also well represented in the West Indies, as well as parts of Mexico. In the wild conures are friendly, peaceful birds and seldom fight with each other. They live together in groups of twenty or more birds, even during the mating season, and feed on various seeds, fruits, and insects.

Hailing from the northeastern coast of South America, sun conures are approximately 12 inches in length, including their long tail. Their body build is slender, and their feathers are bright, iridescent shades of orange, blue, yellow and green. Unlike some other species which have definite coloration patterns, the sun conures sometimes have a combination of these colors over almost any part of their bodies. Young suns tend to have feathers which are predominantly green, while older birds sport more of the yellow or reddish-orange. This change of feather coloring from green to the brighter oranges, golds and yellows is most noticeable on the back, abdomen and head of the bird as it matures. General plumage is yellow and green while the cheeks, forehead, abdomen and down to the lower back are tinged with bright fiery orange. The outer webs of the primary flight feathers are a deep blue while the primaries are bright green; the secondaries are also green. The upperside of the tail is colored an olive-green with blue tips; the under tail-coverts are green with a marked yellow tinge; the median and greater upper wing-coverts are green with yellow edging. All of these colors become brighter and more vivid as the bird matures, with some birds sporting almost totally yellow tones in their body color. The beak and feet are both black.

A baby Sun Conure will be a mix of dark green, yellow and orange colors. Over a period of about 6-8 months, the darker green feathers will be molted out and replaced by brilliant yellow ones on the chest, head and back.

Sun Conures are capable of learning to talk, altho their range is limited and their voices are squeaky and birdlike. They like to imitate amusing sounds (microwave beeps, etc.). They really enjoy human attention, especially if there is no other bird around for them to groom and play with.

Screeching is normal for most parrots. It's how they say hi to each other and how they announce that they're happy. So in the morning and the evening, your bird will say "I'm here! I'm here! I'm here!" for ten minutes to half an hour. Your bird will also greet you when you have been away by screeching hello. And when your bird is in his cage, happily hanging by one foot while he tries to rip the clapper out of a bell, he'll screech because he is happy. So there are a lot of normal reasons for a parrot to screech, and conures tend to be especially noisy members of the family.

"Wings"

Solomon Islands Eclectus

(Eclectus Roratus Solomonensis)

This is  "Wings" a male Solomon Islands Eclectus. When this picture was taken Wings was 8 months old. We purchased Wings from The Animal Connection here in San Francisco in May of 2000. The Solomon Islands Eclectus are sexually dimorphic, meaning the male and female are distinctively and differently colored. The males are a lush green with red, blue and aqua coloring under the wings. The females have rust colored wings a blue or purple body and a bright red neck and breast. The Solomon Islands Eclectus are considered the second best talkers of all the parrots. Solomon Islands Eclectus parrots can live to be between 30 and 50 years old. Wings started talking in March 2001. He can say "Hi!" and "Hello".

No one would argue that the Eclectus parrot is not unique, particularly in its appearance. The first thing you notice when you see a pair of these magnificent creatures is their extreme dimorphism, o outward sexual distinction. Males are  predominantly green, and females are predominantly red. The species was named for their distinctive appearance. Eclectus (pronounced ee-KLEC-tuss, not elect-tus nor ekalectus) comes from the word "eclectic", which means "from various sources," referring to the disparate colors of male and female. For some time, biologists believed that the red birds were of one species and the green birds of another.

Eclectus are native to New Guinea and surrounding islands extending eastward through the Solomon islands, westward to Sumba and Buru. To the north they have naturalized in Palau, and to the south they inhabit Cape York, Australia.

Eclectus share a fur-like feather quality with some other Asian parrots. In eclectus parrots, particularly in the female breast and abdomen, this quality is more noticeable because the colors blend when the loose "hairs" overlap. The overlapping also produces other optical illusions, such as shimmering patterns and iridescence, which are more prevalent in the male.

Identifying the subspecies can be confusing. I believe we can lay the blame for this confusion at the feet of the ornithologists who christened many of the subspecies. Risking further turmoil, I am encouraging the use of new commonsense common names. The following descriptions are greatly simplified versions.

Four Eclectus subspecies are readily available in the United States: the yellow vented (or Vosmaeri), the blue bellied (or red sided), the Solomon island and the dusky (o grand). A few of the Cornelia and perhaps some Australian Eclectus (Macgillivray) exist in American collections but are not generally available for purchase.

 "Peanut"

Orange Winged Amazon

(Amazona Amazonica)

This "Peanut" is a female Orange Wing Amazon. When this picture was taken Peanut was 11 years and 7 months old. We rescued Peanut in July of 2000 when our friend )Toto Bunag) from the Peninsula Animal Hospital called and told us that her previous owner abandoned her to the hospital and wanted to put Peanut to sleep. We wouldn't stand for it and immediately took possession of her. Orange Wing Amazons are good talkers. The Orange Wing Amazon parrots can live to be between 50 and 75 years old. Peanut loves to beg for "Crackers" and say Hello!

Amazon parrots comprise many parrots that range in size from the small spectacled (white-fronted) amazon to the quite sizable double yellow-headed and mealy amazons.  They are more challenging pets and many species are more appropriate for people experienced with handling parrots. Some males can become aggressive when they reach sexual maturity. Gentle dominance training is essential. It is a good idea to teach amazons to step up on a stick on command for those times when they are "overstimulated."  These birds require strong, patient owners who understand their moods. Do plenty of research on behavior and training before buying one so you can build a strong foundation with the young bird. 

Generally, the best talkers are double yellow heads, yellow napes, and blue fronts. Many of these birds can also become proficient singers. They are not shy and will often perform for strangers. Because of these characteristics, these parrots are often selected as performers in bird shows and at zoos.

Amazons tend to be more independent birds and can amuse themselves much of the day if they are given adequate toys and space. It is a good idea to give them a tower with many perches and toys for exercise and amusement. Generally, they do not develop feather picking problems the way many parrot species do, but they can if they are neglected, confined in small cages for long periods of time, and not stimulated with interaction and/or toys.

Caging:  The larger the cage the better. Amazons are quite active and very prone to obesity if they do not get exercise. Cages should be give adequate room for play and exercise.  Spacing of bars depends on the size of the species. Make sure for smaller amazons the spacing is not large enough for them to get their head through.

Diet: Watch the fat. Pellets (medium/large), fresh vegetables, some fruit,  sprouts, and grains (quinoa especially). Seeds and large nuts, but not as the primary source of nutrition.  Calcium important for blue fronts.  DO NOT give grit to this or any other parrot species. 

Health: Tendency toward obesity and related health issues. Lifespan is generally 40-80 years depending on the species, but obesity can drastically reduce this (up to 70%).  Have an avian vet weigh your bird annually to make sure it is not gaining an unhealthy amount of weight. 

Amazons should be showered regularly for feather and skin health. They can develop a musky odor that bothers some people, but most become used to it quickly. Regular showers keeps the smell from getting too strong. Most amazons adore being soaked to the skin with a mister.

Noise:  Most birds bought young and properly trained and socialized will rarely vocalize to the point of disturbing neighbors, but generally they do vocalize atleast once a day with loud screeches. Some amazons can be very loud. Many older birds are sold and re-sold because of calls that can be heard for quite a distance.  They are not great for apartments for this reason.Obviously, the larger the bird, the louder the call. Amazons that have been kept with other amazons tend to be the loudest.

Sleep: At least 10 hours of dark, quiet sleep time each night.  Amazons that do not get enough sleep can be very grouchy and aggressive. 

Sexual behavior: Males can become very aggressive when hormonal. Age this occurs depends on the species, but generally at 3-5 years of age. Springtime is the most obvious period to watch for this. It is best to train amazons to stand on your hand and NOT on your shoulder because of their unpredictability during "mating season." It is important to learn to recognize their moods and not pick up an amazon when its eyes are flashing and the tail is flared. 

Breeding: Need very large flights as males can be extremely aggressive toward females in many species. Not for the beginner.

 Things To Consider

Almost all parrots have a very long life span, many over twenty five years. Therefore they truly become one of the family and require much attention and nurturing. One should never get a pet parrot just on a whim or just because they are beautiful or because the saw a movie like "Paulie" and think its cute to have one. These birds are highly intelligent and have been proven to be able to understand the context of words, the difference between colors and to distinguish a given number of items. There is also evidence that they can even recognize our emotions as when we are happy or sad or thoughtful. So..., people who don't have the time or patience to devote to these birds should probably consider a dog or cat. If you are really interested in getting a parrot, before buying one ask other responsible parrot owners what is required for the proper care of the bird. Contrary to most beliefs, parrots do NOT exist strictly on a seed diet. They require fruits and vegetables as well. Many parrots also enjoy the same foods that people eat such as potatoes, corn, pasta and even some meat. But there are some foods and plants like coffee and avocados that are poisonous to them. Some parrots are noisier than others, investigate the different breeds of parrots to find one that will fit into your lifestyle. If you live in an apartment, getting a noisy parrot will probably ruffle your neighbors feathers, so take all things into consideration before purchasing your new parrot companion.

The rewards of owning a parrot can be great, many can talk, they are beautiful and extremely smart. They will become your life long companion and friend. Its is truly lifelong commitment of Love!